Preoccupied?

Are you busy? Do you have a job, married, single, have kids, have fun,... anything? If you do, then you are probably caught up in the game of LIFE. When we are so busy it can take something dramatic to get our attention. But when we do have those moments, we suddenly find ourselves face to face with our own mortality. When that moment strikes, what gives you comfort?
For most people on this planet, surveys indicate that there is a belief that "God is good." Therefore, those same folks believe that "... if they are good, then God will let them into heaven."
Sounds reasonable right? Wrong!
Did you know that the common factor in all the big religions is the idea that how you live your life now will effect the future life. Ironically, that has also become a false belief in Christianity too.
But it seems right. It seems only fair that good people go to heaven, I mean , if bad people go, could it really be heaven? If people are simply keepers of the Law, can't that get them in?
But who is good and by what standard can we judge goodness? Romans 3:23 makes this claim, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Therefore, who has kept the Law? Who is good enough to get into heaven on their own merits? Has there ever been a test?... a final?... a midterm? You see the Law was not given to be kept. It was given to let us know that we are unable to keep it and we are guilty of breaking it! Thus, we needed a Savior not a lawyer.
Jesus, the Savior, tells us that people don't get what they deserve... good or bad. He makes a startling claim, Good people don't go to heaven... Forgiven people go to heaven! All of Jesus' ministry he spoke this truth. Those who rested their faith upon their own merit fell short while those who believed they were sinners and needed God to forgive them and that Jesus embodied that forgiveness were headed to heaven. In other words, God, in Jesus, removed our sin the way Shout cleans the stain out of our clothes. God stepped in and God took what we (everyone)deserved and took it upon Himself. God cleaned up our mess. All are welcome, all can meet the requirements, and all come in the same way. What could be more fair? In fact, beyond fair... it is gracious of God to do such a thing... downright amazing. Until next time, Blessings.