Sheep Love

I had an interesting, yet brief, conversation a few weeks ago with a friend. She seemed upset so I asked her what was wrong. Eventually she told me that she was learning about the ten commandments and she felt like she was going straight to hell. This comment really made me sit and think for a few minutes. I think it is safe to say a lot of people have thought this at one point in time. It really made me realize how unworthy we are and how much God really does love us!

In fact, God loves us so much He sent His son, Jesus, to live a perfect life in order to be a sacrifice for all of us. "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 4:9, 10 NIV). We did nothing to deserve this unconditional love. Actually, we have done everything to mess that up, yet God still loves us regardless of what we have done, will do, or who we are. God always welcomes us with open arms. We are forgiven and are able to have a personal relationship with God because of Jesus Christ. 

God loves when we come running back to Him. Jesus tells the Pharisees a parable that is recorded in Luke 15. "Then Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, '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 15:3-7 NIV). Most of us have been that lost sheep at one point in time. God continues to pursue us even when we run away and have our back to Him. We will take the easiest way back to God that we allow ourselves. (Aside: this is often a much longer and harder path for those of us who are stubborn and hard headed). 

During a late night conversation with one of my cousins, we were talking about hardships in life. He had an amazing thought that provided me with an image I will never forget. He was telling me how shepards would go off to find their missing sheep. When they found them they would often break the sheep's leg to teach them to not run away and then carry them around on their back until the leg healed. He went on to say that God does almost the same thing. Because we have free will, He allows us to make certain decisions and experience certain things in life so we can be saved or rescued by Him. God then "carries us" and helps us through the hardships to strengthen our relationship with Him and remind us of how much he loves us. 

Always Rambling,

Jonathan