When God Whispers Your Name: Discover the Path to Hope in Knowing that God Cares for You

by Max Lucado

She told Josiah that since he had repented when he heard the words, his nation would be spared the anger of God (see 2 Chron. 34:27). Incredible.

An entire generation received grace because of the integrity of one man.

Could it be that God has placed you on earth for the same?

Maybe your past isn’t much to brag about. Maybe you’ve seen raw evil. And now you, like Josiah, have to make a choice. Do you rise above the past and make a difference? Or do you remain controlled by the past and make excuses?

“Human life comes from human parents, but spiritual life comes from the Spirit”

Think about that. Spiritual life comes from the Spirit! Your parents may have given you genes, but God gives you grace. Your parents may be responsible for your body, but God has taken charge of your soul. You may get your looks from your mother, but you get eternity from your Father, your heavenly Father.

God has not left you adrift on a sea of heredity. Just like Josiah, you cannot control the way your forefathers responded to God. But you can control the way you respond to him. The past does not have to be your prison.

He gave me everything I needed. I served a purpose. I was warm. I was content. I was . . . I was what I was made to be.

“I’m glad you’re back,” the sun said. “Let’s get back to work.”

If you are at peace with yourself—if you like yourself—you will get along with others.

If you don’t like yourself, if you are ashamed, embarrassed, or angry, other people are going to know it. The tragic part of the burlap-sack story

If that is the case, could I ask a delicate but deliberate question? Could it be that you went to religion and didn’t go to God? Could it be that you went to a church but never saw Christ?

“Come to me,” the verse reads.

“You’re not stuck. You’re just at the wrong gate. Go down to the right gate and try again.”

Jesus says he is the solution for weariness of soul.

Go to him. Be honest with him. Admit you have soul secrets you’ve never dealt with. He already knows what they are. He’s just waiting for you to ask him to help. He’s just waiting for you to give him your sack.

Go ahead. You’ll be glad you did. (Those near to you will be glad as well . . . it’s hard to throw stones when you...

We all know what it’s like to find ourselves in a distant land surrounded by strange people.