Can God Love Me After What I've Done?

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He had money, power, and a target on his back. Michael Franzese was a capo regime in the Colombo crime family. A capo for short.

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soldiers who did most of the dirty work. In 1990, Franzese was even portrayed by Joseph Bono in the Martin Scorsese film Goodfellas. But the real story wasn't on the big screen.

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Eventually, Michael was caught, tried, and arrested. While in his cell, three long years in solitary confinement, a guard slid a Bible through the slot in the door. Out of boredom more than belief, he opened it. And the words wouldn't leave him alone. Night after night, he read about a savior who eats with sinners and calls them by name. Could a man like that really walk away from the life?

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Welcome to Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. I'm Bart Leger, and in these next few minutes together, we'll take a fresh look at how God's truth meets us right where we are. Today's

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No one is too far gone for the grace of Jesus to reach. In that solitary cell, Franzese surrendered to Jesus. By the time he was released in 1994, he had made the unthinkable decision. He renounced the mob.

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He walked away from the life that once defined him and began telling the story of grace that found him in the dark. Today, Michael Franzese speaks openly about how God changed his heart, restored his family, and gave him a new path. No one is too far gone. Not even a mafia captain. Luke 5: 31-32 says,"Jesus answered them, 'Healthy people don't need a doctor. Sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.'" That verse tells us something profound about Jesus.

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He doesn't go searching for perfect people. He came for the broken, and the overlooked, and the rejected, and yes, even for the dangerous. When Jesus walked this earth, he ate with tax collectors, talked with prostitutes, and even touched lepers. The religious leaders were scandalized. But Jesus said plainly, "This is exactly why I came." So, the answer to your question, "Can God love me after what I've done?" The answer is a resounding, "Yes." It doesn't matter what you've done. It doesn't matter how far you think you are from God. No matter what you've done. Even if you've never given him the time of day, he wants a relationship with you.

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Michael Franzese's story is dramatic. But you don't need to be in solitary confinement to know what it's like to feel stuck in sin. All of us have parts of our story we'd rather hide. Decisions we regret, and habits we can't seem to shake, and words we wish we could take

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Like Michael, you may not see an instant fix, but you will begin to see a new way forward. He is wanting to create a new identity as someone forgiven, someone who is loved, and someone who is now right with God. The Bible says that all who trust in Christ get a clean slate. You know that all sin is forgiven. You are a brand-new creation. Are you ready for that? Friend, maybe today you realize you need what Michael found in that cell. You need Jesus. The Bible says all of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. And the penalty of sin is death or eternal separation from God. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. He died on the cross for your sin, rose again, and offers forgiveness and new life to anyone who will trust Him. You can make that decision right now. You can pray something like this: "Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner, and I need your forgiveness. I believe you died for me and rose again.

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And I'd love to hear from you.

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