Thursday, August 29, 2013

Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep!

Ever had something stirring in you? Something that you know is there but you just haven't been able to get the words put together to express it?

Well, I have been right there for the past couple of months. I have known that something was stirring but I just couldn't hardly put my finger on it. But then I ran into a friend yesterday and we were just chatting and I said...

"God instilled in us the desire to be pursued"...it just came out. I haven't been actually thinking about that but it is the truth.

The word says in Luke 15:4 "Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue." It goes on to say the same thing in the next verse and then into the verses about the prodigal son.


Do we do that though? Do we go look for that one lost sheep? The scripture actually says it is one "sinner" that is rescued so shouldn't we go after the saints as well. Shouldn't we pursue, search for that one friend, that one church member, that one co-worker that has lost their way in the wilderness?

So many times we get so caught up in what's happening in our circle that we forget to get outside of it. Why? It is uncomfortable? It makes us vulnerable? Our circle is our comfort zone and leaving that sets us up for all types of things and that is scary but c'mon people! God's grace is sufficient. He will be right there with you! DO IT.


I think about the people that I have watched walk out of my life. It makes me sad not because they are no longer there but because I didn't care enough to pursue them. I might have called them once or twice but after being rejected I just got offended and let them go but what could have happened if I have just made myself a little uncomfortable? Died to myself and stretched? I could have been rejected again OR I could have been the one that God used to break the wall that was built up to keep hurt out.

GOD INSTILLED IN US A DESIRE TO BE PURSUED.

That desire alone will change a persons heart. When someone knows that someone else has an interest in them, regardless of who it is, a teacher, a person of the opposite sex, a best friend, a pastor, a congregation member, an employer, it does something to their heart. It reminds them that they are important to someone. It reminds them that they are ok. They are loved. Now, I know that no one should count on anyone but God to do that for them but we are here, on this earth, and need that every once in a while.

As I was praying about this I thought about John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." He doesn't follow it up with unless they struggle with something, unless they leave your presence, unless they decide....NO! He say LAY down his life. LAY in the present tense-do it everyday!

I know there are the verses that we use to not do this. I have done it myself. I remember when a lady that I talked to a regular basis decided that she needed a "break" from her life which included me! I tried to talk to her and was shut down every time which, of course, hurt my feelings, hurt my ego and my pride so I responded with "Jesus said that if you try to preach in your home town and people don't listen dust off your feet and move on so that is what I am doing". Shame on me!!

I should have never given up!

Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

If you look around your life and see that someone is missing...pursue them! Chase them! Search for them! Bring them back! Leave the flock and find the one lost sheep that is wandering around in the wilderness! When you are greeted with rejection-remember that hurting people hurt people. It's not about YOU. It's about bringing them to a place of safety. It's reminding them that someone loves them and it is reminding us to love like Jesus! Isn't that what we are called to do? Be the church? Love like Jesus? What if Jesus only hung out with the disciples? Better yet-what if Peter decided to get squirrely and wander off, do you think Jesus would have said "eeehhh, I don't have time to fool with Peter! If he wants to go let him go, another disciple will come along."

How absurd is that? No, Jesus would have reached out to Peter! and not in a half ditched effort to ease his conscience or save face. He would have truly reached out. He would have loved Peter!

Matthew 5:14-16 says that we are to be the light of the world.

It's time that we do that! We need to be the light of the world and shine! Show people that our light is a beacon of safety and if they follow it-they will be safe too.


Love doesn't give up! We shouldn't either!