“For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”  (Matthew 18:12-14)

This story demonstrates the value God places on each human being, and Jesus encourages us to reflect the same care. God so loved the world, and he is concerned for each person, even the one that strays.

This is what is so wonderful to me about Nashville Rescue Mission—the rescue part. I am mindful of a quote from Charles Spurgeon:

“Oh, how we ought to love sinners, since Jesus loved us, and died for us while we were yet sinners! We must care for drunkards while they still pass round the cup; swearers even while we hear them swear…We must not wait till we see some better thing in them but feel an intense interest for them as what they are – straying and lost.”

Isn’t that what we do so well. And isn’t that just a reflection of what God does? And not only that, but God also rejoices when each sheep comes back into the fold. It reminds me of the stories of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son in Luke Chapter 10.

Many years ago, I was at a company Christmas party at one of the nicest hotels in Nashville when I absent-mindedly started rubbing my ring finger. With growing horror, as I pretended to listen to the person I was talking to, I realized that the diamond to my engagement ring was missing and all I was feeling were the prongs to the ring. I could hardly wait until the conversation ended so that I could break eye contact and look down to confirm what I feared—my diamond was missing! This was the engagement ring that my husband-to-be had given to me a year before our wedding. Although it was a tiny diamond, it meant the world to me. I had polished my nails right before leaving the house, so I just knew I would have realized its absence then, so logically it must have fallen out in the car or at the hotel.

As soon as I could break away, I confided in Barbara, a co-worker, and she immediately dropped to her knees to retrace my steps from the ballroom back to the entrance. Mind you, she was dressed elegantly in a long dress and high heels, and so was I, but I felt I had no choice except to imitate her, so I also dropped to the floor. Just picture this sight: at this very fancy party in a very fancy hotel, she and I crawled our way down the carpeted hallway back to the elegant front entrance, in our festive attire, looking from right to left all along the hallway. Finding nothing, I then went to the car and searched, and again, found nothing.

Weeks later after I had given my diamond up for lost, I was changing out my pocket calendar for the new year (this was before we had any electronic devices), and somehow or other, my little diamond was in that pocket in my purse! You cannot imagine my joy!! I jumped up from my chair (I was at work), and I ran around the office showing everyone my diamond. I called my husband, and I’m sure I would have put it on Facebook if there had been such a thing. This story seems a bit silly to me now, but I still remember the joy I felt when I found the diamond that had been lost.

Think about something precious to you that you feared you had lost, only to find it later or have it returned to you. But here’s where the similarity ends between my story and God’s story. I had no idea where my diamond was or that I would ever find it. And my diamond was an object with no will of its own. But God knows exactly where you and I are. And all God requires is that we surrender to his pursuit, in other words, all God requires is our repentance and willingness to be found. And then, nothing can compare to the joy God feels when we are found by Him, and the celebration begins! God’s Great Dance Floor (Chris Tomlin)

I have been focusing these past few devotionals on God’s heart for us. It’s a tendency sometimes to feel lonely, alone, distant from our family, friends, and coworkers. We can feel like no one loves us, no one really cares. But–and not to minimize–these are feelings which are not always reliable. What is reliable, what we can trust with our lives, is God’s love for his Creation, His love for you and me. He loves us, he pursues us, and nothing makes Him happier than when we fall into His arms, allowing Him to rescue us.

“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 10:6-7).

In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 10:10)

But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” (Luke 10:32)

In Christ,

Judy

Last week, the Chaplain’s Corner was about recharging yourself for God’s work. I imagine that if you even had time to read this, your first thought was “when will I have time to do all this? Don’t you realize the hours I’m already working?” Let me just respond by suggesting that you look at the life of Jesus. A participant in one of my Bible studies made a remarkable statement last week about the life of Jesus. She said something like this:

“Even though Jesus knew he would only have about three years of ministry, and even though he know more than anyone the scope of the need for his ministry, he was never in a rush.”

I’m telling you, that really spoke to me. Just give me a deadline and I become a whirling dervish of activity. I can easily become more concerned about the doing than who I am doing it with or for, just being honest.

What was Jesus’ secret? How could he be so “in the moment” and unharried? Let’s look at some examples

• “My job is to the ones my father gave me. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:38-39).
  • Jesus knew what his priorities were, and who he answered to.

• “So the sisters sent word to Jesus, ‘Lord, the one you love (Lazarus) is sick.’ When he heard this, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go back to Judea.’” (John 11:3-7)
  • Jesus knew that God was ultimately in control of his schedule.

• “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36). “Therefore Jesus told them, ‘My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. You go to the festival. I am notgoing up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” (John 7:6-8)
  • Jesus knew that God was sovereign over his time.

The Gospels tell us that Jesus often got alone, not just for some rest and a change of pace, but also that He might spend time in communion with His heavenly Father. Notice these observations by His disciples:

1. “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, and He was alone there for forty days, except for when the Devil came to tempt Him” (Matt. 4:1–11).
2. “After he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone” (Matt. 14:23).
3. “Rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed” (Mark 1:35).
4. “When it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place” (Luke 4:42).

Jesus often sought solitude to have time alone with his Father. Jesus not only modeled prayer in solitude, He exhorted us to do the same: “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret” (Matt. 6:6).

Jesus also found time to be with his disciples, with his friends, and even with sinners and Pharisees. It seems that he liked a good party. There are stories about his inviting himself to Zacchaeus’ (tax collector) house and also having dinner at Simon’s home. His first miracle was at a wedding, which was always a large family affair.  Here’s a passage about dinner with Matthew:

“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ On hearing this, Jesus said, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”’ Then John’s disciples came and asked him, ‘How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?’ Jesus answered, ‘How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.’”

I mean, shouldn’t he have been at the synagogue reading the scrolls? Or just maybe this dinner party was the better opportunity, and he took advantage of it.

When Martha got upset about Mary who just wanted to hang with Jesus rather than helping in the kitchen (after all, it was nearly time for dinner and all these people are coming), Jesus chided her, “There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” In 2022 I am challenging myself to live more like Jesus did, and to be concerned about the One Thing that is worth being concerned about, and that is to seek the presence of my heavenly Father.

One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4).

In Christ,

Judy