Author Darlene Conard

We have a woman who has been bleeding for twelve years and, after visiting numerous physicians, still finds no cure (Luke 8:43-48). There is also a man possessed by demons, cutting himself and screaming in torment among the tombs (Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39). An adulterous woman also tries to fill her loneliness (John 8:1-11) and lepers suffering from rotting flesh (Luke 5:12-16; 11:11-19; Mark 1:40-45). The blind are feeling their way around, trying to reach their destinations (Mark 10:46-52), and the deaf and mute are deprived of the ability to hear or speak (Mark 1:40-45). These individuals, among many others, share one common need: a Savior.

Often, I consider details such as them sitting in secrecy saying, “I’m going to die like this.” Legion didn’t have a right mind. Perhaps his torment began in his youth? I don’t know. I can only assume that the adulteress was entangled in a web of deceit and passion, feeling overwhelmed by the weight of her choices. The shadows of guilt and fear loomed large over her, clouding her judgment and leaving her unable to envision a way to escape the chains of her predicament. Each day must have felt like a battle between her desires and the moral consequences that haunted her, making the prospect of breaking free seem distant and nearly impossible. Desperation plunges people into doing harmful things. They’re just searching for answers but have no one to lead them in the right direction.

Before Jesus crossed their path, they wandered as outcasts in a world that downgraded and overlooked them. Yet, through His divine intervention, these forsaken souls were transformed into beloved sons and daughters of the Most High God. Praise His Holy Name! The Talley Trio beautifully captures this sentiment in their emotional song, “Orphans of God,” where every lyric echoes truthfully. In His eyes, there are no strangers—only individuals yearning for connection. No one is beyond His reach, and no one is truly an orphan in His embrace.

I overflowed with deep gratitude, realizing that the Messiah Himself intentionally chose to draw near to me. In my wretched and shame-filled condition, weighed down by the heavy burden of accusations against Him, He opened His arms wide, inviting me to approach Him just as I am. His love and mercy are boundless, flowing freely like an endless ocean, offering a sanctuary of hope and healing to all who earnestly seek refuge in Him. In a world where many are trapped by the chains of drugs, alcohol, constant social media scrolling, the lure of pornography, and the relentless pursuit of material possessions, His embrace provides a way out, a path toward freedom and restoration. Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 says, “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already of old time, which was before us.”  

Jesus remains unfazed and unrestrained by any challenge, circumstance, or individual. His relentless pursuit of the lost reaches out to those seeking hope and salvation. This is why we, as followers of Christ, are called to venture into the streets and byways, as highlighted in Luke 14:23. Every day, we encounter a multitude of individuals, each with their own stories and struggles, and it’s our mission to share the message of His love and grace with them. “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” John 15:16 KJV

Never be afraid to share what God has done for you! We were once outcasts, but through Jesus, we are also sons and daughters.

We were once forsaken sons and daughters but no more.

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” John 3:6-8 KJV

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