“You’re fired!”

Those words have been made famous by Donald Trump on the reality show, The Apprentice. There are many people who have heard those words before and they didn’t have to be on a reality show. Did you know that Walt Disney was fired from a department store for not having enough good ideas?

There is a book out by Harvey MacKay entitled, “We Got Fired … and it is the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Us.”

The book is composed of interviews with famous and successful people who have gotten fired and how things turned around for them. Examples are: Donald Trump, Robert Redford, Lee Iacocca, Larry King and Bill Belichick.

It is good to know that, “You’re fired!” is not how God treats his people.

Think about the many examples of those who did other than what they should have. Moses was a murderer and God forgave and used him to lead the Israelites out of captivity.

David committed adultery and murder, yet was used of God as the greatest king of Israel.

Jonah was told to preach to the people of Nineveh. Jonah got on a boat and went the opposite direction.

God delivered him to the shores of the city via the belly of a big fish.

Jonah preached, the people repented, and God turned his wrath away. Peter denied the Lord Jesus three times, however, Jesus used Peter to establish the church.

God is the great recycler.

He chooses to patch up our wounds and use us for his glory. Many times it is the very ways that we have messed up that the Lord will use to encourage and help someone else.

Feeling kind of low?

Wondering if your life matters?

Look to the one who loved you so much that he went to the cross to take your failures and turn them around. The Bible proclaims for every believer, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

We are handcrafted by God and He has prepared us to accomplish special work for Him.

God considers you valuable beyond description.

He paid the highest price, Jesus’ blood, to claim you as His own and redeem you for your wrong doing.

He is willing to overlook your past failures and enroll you in his service.

The benefits and retirement plan are the best ever offered!

Feeling under-valued and unappreciated? Come to the One who knows you best (faults and all), loves you most and will give you a job that will matter forever!

Dennis Strawn is the Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church Ironton.