Monday, January 31, 2022

Listen to the Word
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? 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.” (Luke 15:4-6)

In Luke 15, Jesus tells a powerful story to describe the heart of God. We will spend the week reflecting on Jesus’ picture of God as a relentless, risk-taking shepherd on a sheep-finding mission.

Perhaps you have wandered away from God, and you wonder how he feels about you. Jesus makes it clear that he is crazy about you, in spite of the fact that there is nothing within you that deserves that affection. You matter to God. You are so valuable to him that you are worth an all-out search. His heart breaks when you are far from him, and he longs to bring you back. He will search high and low to find you, and he won’t give up until he brings you home with him.

Live the Word
Have you wandered away from God? Turn yourself in to him today! Thank him for sending Jesus to save you, and give yourself to him.