Matthew 18:12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?

Do you believe you are BEYOND salvation by the bad things you have done? Or did someone or a religion tell you that God “won’t save you” unless you cleaned yourself up first? Or have they taught you that because of your sinful life, God has “given up you”? Well Scripture shows they are absolutely 100 percent wrong. God never gives up on a child of His.

I think of my own Dad in this example. When I was young, I was quite stubborn. My Dad wanted me to do things of which I didn’t want to do. Hunting was something as a child I dreaded and absolutely HATED. The cold, the wind, the rain, the snow, the hard work, the getting up early was enough for me to ignore his call “wake up, let’s go!”. I would grudgingly get in his old truck with my brother and off we would go. I would mutter things under my breath to get under my Dad’s nerves. I didn’t want to shoot anything or participate, so I was quite obstinate when I look back, enough to try anyone’s patience and then some! I would basically keep asking by words and behavior, “when is this all going to be over so we can go home now?” How I didn’t break him, I really don’t know.

But my Dad didn’t give up. Each time he went hunting, the same routine ensued. His longer-suffering with this was admirable, because I hardly was a good hunting companion. I did everything I could to make the experience miserable for him and for me. He could have easily said “that’s enough, stay home!”, and I would have gone along with this. Now this wasn’t a one time event, it went on for years, and he still didn’t give up on me. The torturous behavior I put him through was quite immature and regretful when I look back on it. I was testing his will which never budged.

But somehow my Dad KNEW that eventually I would love to go hunting, because that is EXACTLY what happened. I’d say after 10 years or so of sheer obstinance, as a teenager I then went hunting on my own for the first time and it was then it all clicked. I did this just to please my Dad. I wanted him to be proud of me and he was. After this, hunting was something that enjoined my life, it was an irreplaceable joy.

Consider this as well, I basically by immaturity and pride told a girlfriend a couple of years later “hunting will always rank number one in my life, you will always be number 2 or 3, so don’t get any ideas”, yes, I actually did say that, and now wonder why that girl didn’t immediately run, but she eventually did. I guess she gave up on me, I say in jest. But going back to my earlier absolute hate of hunting, it was a total change, and I think always if my Dad would have given up on me how different and sad my life would be.

The outdoors and the activity of it was something I thoroughly enjoy to this day! I’d dare say I became a much larger of a hunter than even my Dad. And this was all due to him never giving up on me. I don’t know if I was in his shoes and had such a child as me if I could have EVER had his patience. He did this with other things as well, things I thought I hated, he pushed me past my obstinance by staying the course and never giving up on me.

Now transposing this to God and how He doesn’t give up. It took 43 years of longsuffering, when He opened my eyes to His truth. The dreadful evil and sinful life I was living up to that point was the same very obstinance I had with my Dad about hunting. I desired things MY WAY, not His. I didn’t want to leave my sins because they were much more enjoyable in my fallen mindset.

I look back just the same on God not giving up on me, because He surely could have and would have every right to say just as I said my Dad could have “enough of this! Do now what you want”. But He didn’t. He stayed the course by His will, and KNEW just like my example of hunting, that I would LOVE His ways, His word, His Gospel.

Yes, this is the God Almighty! If He is seeking you, He won’t give up! You might have given Him every excuse in this world and then some to just let you be, but He stays the course with you because He loves you! It might be decades, it might very well be on your death bed, but He won’t give up until He has you!

And despite world religions teaching, He will give up based on your bad living or not following their extra biblical rules, He doesn’t. I am a living example of this!