You are Forgiven and Loved by God

                          You are Forgiven and Loved

I want you to know that that you are forgiven and loved by God.  You might not know why you would need forgiveness or what it means that God loves you, but I hope today’s message makes it clearer to you.

Let me tell you a story.  There’s a boy I used to know.  He felt really bad.  He was rejected by his family.  He felt that no one accepted and loved him.  He felt so bad he would even hurt himself.  He was a resident in a counseling program I worked at.  We used to try to show him that we accepted him and loved him and didn’t want to see him hurt himself.   He was treated so badly when he was young that it was hard for him to stop hurting himself.

Do you ever really feel bad, like nobody accepts you or loves you?  Lots of people feel that way.  If you don’t feel that way, and I hope that you don’t, you know somebody who does.

Sometimes people treat people badly; they reject them and hate them.  They pick on people, say bad things about them or bully them. And sometimes people treat themselves badly.  It happens in homes.  It happens in schools.  It happens in neighborhoods.  It happens in churches.   But if we repent, if we change our attitude and behavior, if we let God know that we’re sorry, God will forgive us.  And the only thing that God wants in return is for us to treat others well, and not only others, ourselves.  What I want you to know is that you are accepted and loved by God and Jesus exactly as you are and that God and Jesus will help you be the best person you can if you let them.  If we haven’t accepted people or loved them or treated them badly, we can ask God’s forgiveness and God will forgive you.  Or if you’ve treated yourself badly or hurt yourself, you can be forgiven for that and God and Jesus can help you love and accept yourself and help you become an even better person, more that you believe yet.

Let’s pray together.  Repeat after me: God, I know you love me. I’ve done some bad things, but you forgive me and love me anyways.  You expect me to be even better than I am and because you believe in me, I know I can be an even better me.  Forgive me for the wrong I’ve done and help me to treat everyone the way I want to be treated.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.