We have all been there; one hundred percent of us. No exceptions and no excuses. The Bible reinforces that with the declaration that all have fallen short. Sometimes it’s from aiming high and landing low. Sometimes from looking low and winding our way on down to where those thoughts take us. Patterns of behavior repeat themselves despite our sincerest resolve as “Here I stand” gives way to “Here we go again.” You get the picture. You know the pain first hand. At some level and at some time, we all do.

The Bible talks about these feelings a lot. You get the idea that God was pretty confident that getting out of hand would never go out of style. The recurring theme of restoration points to God’s heart and highest hope; that his fallen creation could find their way back to Him, and from there to the life we have always wanted. Or at least deliverance from the parts of life we never did.

Sunday we are going to talk about that. Last’s week’s message was the prequel. Through Jeremiah, we saw how life’s hard moments, self- inflicted or not, have the capacity to make us moldable. That has to happen before we can make it back.

This week we will walk with Jesus as he steps into a teachable moment with insight that can easily evade us. (Hint: He does that a lot.) Take a look at the parable of the fruitless tree in Luke Chapter 13. Tucked in there is the formula for any real and lasting change. Hidden in there is all the equipment essential for our alteration. Why don’t you see if you can pick them out, and then come Sunday we can talk about how to change your life. It’s not like we don’t need it. All of us. No exceptions. No excuses.