For nearly thirty-three years Jesus, the Good Shepherd, looked for lost sheep in difficult terrain. Is it possible for such a devoted shepherd to ignore a returning stray sheep? Would it matter where the sheep had been, the faithfulness of the sheep, or how long the sheep had been gone? Absolutely not. The Good Shepherd would look with pity, listen to its cries, evaluate the health of the sheep, place it on his shoulders and carry it back to the safety of the flock.
I love the way the Book of Jude ends with a benediction: “Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”
This week, I invite you to consider The Good Shepherd who seeks and saves. Consider the depth, height, and length he travels so that anyone would know of his love and mercy. It doesn’t matter where you are today, how broken you might think you are, or how fragmented your relationships are; nothing is beyond the care of the Good Shepherd.
This week’s reading:
Monday – Romans 2
Tuesday – Romans 3
Wednesday – Romans 4
Thursday – Romans 5
Friday – Romans 6
Please Pray for:.
The St. Paul UMC family.
Those who are unwillingly absent.
Those who are grieving and depressed.
The United Methodist Church.
Our nation and our leaders.
The World.
The Lost.