Being at peace with God …. Some of you know what it feels like to live without peace in your life. Some of you know what it feels like to live without peace in your home.

If that’s you, let me tell you, I know what you’re going through. One of the hardest days of my life was the day I had to kick my own son out of my house. They told me it was tough love, but I tell you it broke my heart. He was 16 and out of control. Finally, I said, “You either live as part of this family, under the rules of this household, or you need to leave.” He got up in my face: “If I walk out that door, you’re dead to me! I don’t have a father! And you will never see me again!” I said, “Go now.” He threw some clothes in a bag. And, and as he turned his back on me and slammed the door, I held it together. But the minute he pulled out of the driveway, turned the corner, and was out of sight, I went upstairs and knelt by my bed … and I cried like a baby. All I could pray was, “Oh, God; oh, God; oh, God … My son.”

It broke the heart of our Heavenly Father. Like a father practicing tough love, God said, “I can’t let you back in My home. I can’t let you into heaven – not until you want to be a part of this family.”

This is what the Bible says. But you’ve felt it, too. You don’t feel close to God. You feel like there’s a distance, a barrier. Instead of feeling a natural love for God, sometimes you doubt that he even exists. Instead of feeling good, you feel guilt. What am I saying? You’re not at peace with your Creator.

So here’s what happened. Jesus said, “Father, I want to go and talk to them. I will go to their world and live among them. I’ll tell them about Your love. I’ll tell them how You want to patch things up. I’ll even die on a cross to pay the price for anything they’ve done wrong.” And that’s what He did. Two-thousand years ago, Jesus came here to patch up the relationship.

That’s why the Bible says these monumental words: “At just the right time, Christ came and died for us …. God showed His great love for us in this way: Christ died for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:6, 8) The result: “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1)

Have you made your peace with God? Or are you still on the outs, still saying, “I want to do my own thing”? Come home. You can have peace with God.

Just recently, after years, my son is speaking to me. I haven’t been close to him for a long time, but we’ve reconciled. And it means the world to me. Maybe you haven’t been close to God for a long time. Start to speak to Him again. It will mean the world to Him.

The Bible says, “At just the right time, Christ came for us.” This is just the right time for you to come to Christ. Right now, today, you can know for sure that everything’s okay between you and your Heavenly Father. You can know that He loves you and never stopped loving you.
Just say, “Father, it’s me. We haven’t talked for a while. I want to come home. One day, when it’s my time to leave, I want to come home to You.”