When you think of “sinners” who might be excluded from God’s kingdom, does anyone come to mind? If so, you may be entering dangerous territory. The Pharisees were certain of their own seat at God’s table, convinced that the tax collectors and prostitutes had no such place. But Jesus came precisely for the people the religious crowd wrote off. He welcomes the broken, the fallen, the forgotten with open arms the moment they repent and turn to Him. God’s grace reaches farther than our judgments, and we may be surprised by those who are on heaven’s guest list!

God Has Not Forgotten You
After a year like 2020 it’s easy to have moments of anxiety, fear and panic, and even to wonder at times if God has forgotten you in the midst of all the chaos. Noah must have felt the same way during that long year when he was closed off inside the ark. Yet during that terrible trial, we read the beautiful words, “But God remembered Noah,” and we discover that he had never been out of God’s care for a single day! Whatever struggle you may be facing right now, take heart in knowing that God has not forgotten you!


