March 26, 2007

Step 3: . We made a decision to turn our life and will over to the care of God.

Scripture reading for today: Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23 NIV

Jesus loved to tell stories. Here’s one of his stories.

“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 NIV

I’ve heard it said that we get our first ideas about who God is and who He is not by looking at our earthly parents. I squirm at the thought. I have three children and it would be a shame if their only perspective of God came from their experiences with their father and me. We’ve done our best – but I’m not in denial – we have had limitations as imitators of Christ. I’m comforted, slightly, to know that we are not the only models that they have of God – we’re just the first. Have you gotten stuck in the rut of unbelief because of the limited examples and experiences you’ve had that reveal the true character of God?

Jesus told a story to a crowd of people that reveals the heart of His Father. He told his listeners that God cared not just for the masses, he cared for even one lone sheep. He didn’t count heads and decide whether the numbers were significant enough for Him to make an appearance. This God that is far beyond our understanding was willing to make himself available for just one. Would a celebrity of our day make an appearance for just one? Would a political candidate show up at a rally where just one would attend? Would a teacher come to school every day with an awesome lesson plan for just one? Would a pastor preach to a congregation of just one? God would. Not only would he do it, he would be thrilled to do so.

Truly. His Son said so – he should know.

Thought for today:

He (Jesus) had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death – and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion. Philippians 2:6-8 The Message

Thought for tomorrow: Like Father, like son. Who do you want to grow up to be like?

March 26
Teresa McBean