"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.- Luke 15:4-7
Luke 15 is my FAVORITE passage in scripture ( often brings tears to my eyes when I read it), for many reasons but probably because of the wayward child that I am and have been and for the truths that this brings out about the Savior who loves wandering children like me!
I have wandered so much and so far from God at different times in my life, and have even been closed to His working in one area even here
lately and just last night have surrendered that part of my life to Him! Praise be to Jehovah for His work in this prodigal daughter of His!
"Father, like a dumb sheep I have strayed from your fold time and again to find "greener pastures" because I thought yours were not good enough (Psalm 23). Only to find that there is nothing out there apart from you! I was lost and alone, hurt and afraid, and marred from stumbling into sin, ( in terrible need of a bath :) EACH time your found me. Thankyou for not choosing to let me continue to wander, hoping that someday I would return, thank you for getting up and for coming and searching for me: "Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it" You are the GOOD SHEPERD!!
Thankyou for not grudgingly accepting me back, but thankyou for JOYFULLY placing me on your shoulders to carry me back to the fold to be in fellowship with you "And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home." Word cannot express my gratitude to you!
Thank you for this reminder today it is what I needed!" - Love your prodigal sheep :)
I was randomly searching Bible gateway ( great website to use for copying and pasting scripture...handy for emails and status :)
Anyways I was searching for John 15:5, but entered in Luke 15:5 and read about how Jesus JOYFULLY places the sheep on His shoulders
and it just really struck me! I mean I were a shepherd and I had a sheep wander off, especially at night, and this sheep kept doing that time and again, and was injuring itself and getting itself stuck, yeah maybe the first time I would be happy about finding it, but certainly not the 2nd.....3rd...5th..etc. times!
But what a wonderful assurance to know that each time I have strayed and will stray, Jesus will ALWAYS first seek me out, find me and get me out of the mess I get myself into and then will JOYFULLY place me on His shoulders and draw me back to the fold!!
I am so thankful for my JOYFUL Shepherd, should I not reflect Him today and joyfully help others as well?
This should affect the way I respond to others! Christ is the model that has been set before me to follow! I need to have paitence and mercy for the wandering sheep I come into contact with today and everyday!
No comments:
Post a Comment