"Therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature:  old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new."
- 2 Corinthians 5:17

NOTE:  Today's devotional is an evangelistic message.  Feel free to pass it on to any unsaved folks that you know, or print it out to hand out copies to those around you.

We never had much money when I was growing up.  (Things haven't changed much. :-)

And because of the lack of money, we had to do some things that not many people around us did in order to get by.  One of the things really embarrassed me during the ages of around 11-12 years old...

...and that was wearing patches on my pants.

We couldn't afford to buy new pants as mine began to wear out.  Especially on the knees, where I always seemed to be landing when I fell down during wrestling and rough-housing with the other guys.

And so, when holes wore through my pants, my mom would iron a patch to cover the hole.  Several of my peers at school laughed at me and made fun of the patches.  After all, very few people had the embarrassment of wearing them.

The problem with these patches was they didn't solve the problem.  They only provided a temporary fix.   They covered the hole, but they couldn't fill it.  In time, the patches either  came loose or they wore thin themselves.  In fact, there were times that I had patches on my patches!

I always loved it when school began back for the next year, because I was able to trade in those patches for a new set of clothes!

You know, as I look back on those days, it reminds me that many people in the world today are walking around with patches on their souls.  There is a hole there that can only be filled with Jesus, but instead of turning their lives over to Him...

...they patch up the emptiness inside with all kinds of things.

For some, they try money and material possessions.  For others, it is power and fame.  Still others try to patch the hole with sex, careers, children, relationships and even "religion."

The problem with these patches is, likewise, they don't solve the problem of that emptiness inside because of sin.  They only provided a temporary fix to how they feel.  They cover the hole, but they can't fill it.  Only Jesus can do that.

And, in time, those temporary patches come undone or fade away, and the empty hole of the soul remains.  Oh, they may bring satisfaction and pleasure for a season, but sooner or later that season ends.  And judgement awaits.

Perhaps this morning you have never been saved and are trying to patch up your life with things of the world.  Why not give your heart to Jesus?  He'll do more than put a patch on your soul...

...He will give you a new set of clothes. 

Have a "Wonderful DAY in Christ,"
Jimmy D. Brown
\o/ Praise Jesus!