Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today- September 10, 2010
“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” Matthew 18:12-14
The Lord’s great love is not passive in its pursuit of people. He longs for every last lost soul to be saved from the snares of sin, the devil’s deceptions and the world’s allure. The Lord Almighty is personally engaged in engaging a human heart with heaven. Christ’s love crosses all cultures and socio-economic levels. He is in humble hot pursuit of whom He loves. Have you yielded to the Holy Spirit’s tender wooing of your heart to God?
Left to our own whims and desires, we are prone to wander away from the Lord. Our culture competes with our heavenly affections until we grow indifferent to eternal matters. But, Jesus does not quit His traversing for our heart’s allegiance. Even during our darkest days He is a light of hope that hovers in our head as a reminder of His love.
“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them” (Isaiah 42:16).
Like wandering sheep—bad things distract us and good things attract us. When we lose our way, we have a loving Shepherd ever present to show us the way. We are never out of His sight, or out of reach from His sympathetic staff. The Lord looks for us and looks out for us, because He loves us unconditionally. No one is too far from the love of God.
“May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21).
When Jesus found you how did you feel? Forgiven, grateful, relieved and ready for heaven? You probably felt these few emotions and many more. If you have not given in to God’s good intentions, you can come to Christ now. Turn and look to Him, He loves you as none other can love you. Heaven rejoices when the pursued are persuaded by God.
“Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I 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 15:6b-7).
How is God pursuing me? How does Christ want me to respond to His compelling love?
Related Readings: Job 19:22; Isaiah 41:2-4; Luke 19:20; John 10:3
Boyd Bailey is the author of Wisdom Hunters daily devotional and two devotional books, Infusion and Seeking Daily the Heart of God
