Hey, Carpool crew. I'm Pastor Justin. Happy Friday. I hope you have an incredible weekend ahead. Whatever you're doing, I hope you have fun. Now, you know that feeling when you did something wrong, nobody found out, and now you don't really wanna talk to God about it? Yeah, we've all been there. So let's jump in with the one thing I want you to remember for the ride: when you mess up, go to God. Here's what it says in Luke chapter 15, verse 20: "So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck and kissed him." Now, compassion is a fancy way of saying he felt for him. Not anger. He felt love for him. This is from a story that Jesus told called The Prodigal Son. It's about a son who asks his dad for his share of the money that he would get when his dad died, and he takes the money and leaves town. He ends up so broke, he's feeding pigs and wishing he could eat their food too, 'cause he's so hungry. And he decides to go home. He even practices a speech on the way, "Dad, I messed up. I don't deserve to be your son anymore." But look at what the dad does. His father sees him while he's still a long way off and runs to him, hugs his son before his kid even gets the speech out. See, Jesus told that story to show us what God is like. So when you mess up, you don't have to be afraid to go to God. Does that mean what you did doesn't matter? No. The son really did blow it. He wasted everything. That was real, and his dad still ran to him. Maybe you told your mom something that wasn't true, and she believed you. Maybe you said something mean to your sister or brother, and they cried. Maybe you looked at somebody at school and made fun of their grade or the art that they made. Maybe you said something about a friend behind their back, and now you regret it because other people are repeating it. And now it's bedtime. You get to the part where you normally talk to God, and you'd rather roll over and face the wall because talking to God feels like walking into a room where somebody is already mad at you. You don't have to be afraid to go to God. If you ever feel that way, before you roll over, I just want you to try this. Just say, "God, I did it, and I'm not proud of it. Will you help me?" And then just listen and share it with a parent. Let them know what's going on because they can help you figure it out. Even if there's a consequence, like for lying, that's okay. You'd rather have a consequence than feel like you're carrying around a lie that you have to remember every day. Let's go back to the one thing I want you to remember for the ride. When you mess up, go to God. Don't wait until you feel better. Don't wait until you get caught. Just go. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And parents, this weekend on Carpooling with Jesus, we're talking about what brave looks like for your kid. Sunday, we're talking about bugs and spiders. For less than the cost of a candy run at a gas station, you could be a subscriber and not miss a single episode. I hope you consider it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Now before you go, let's answer this question together. When you mess up, what's one thing you know about God that makes it easier to go to Him? I'll see you tomorrow or next Monday on Carpooling with Jesus.
