Hearing the Shepherd's Call

I love sheep.  I think they're so cute.  One of my favorite books that I read to my youngest son was Russell the Sheep.  I mean, look at him, he's so stinking cute.  (and he has a really cute frog that hangs out with him.)

Now in real life, sheep don't look or act like Russell.  They are still cute, but you need to know that they are really helpless.  It takes a special person to be a shepherd.  He or she has to be very patient; be willing to fight off preditors; and be willing to put their sheep's needs before their own.   

The cool thing about sheep is that they will only answer their own shepherd's call.  You can have a lot of flocks all meshed together on a hill and all the shepherds hanging out, but when one shepherd is ready to leave he'll give a special call or whistle, and his sheep will separate themselves from the others and follow him.

We are compared in the bible to sheep.  When you think about it, it makes total sense.  Jesus is our patient shepherd.  He takes care of us; it's in His name that He fights off the preditors; He grooms us and sheers us to keep us healthy.  Psalm 23 paints a beautiful picture of the Lord as our Shepherd.  You may have said this Psalm hundreds of times, but look at it with fresh eyes.  You're the sheep; you're helpless; you will drown if you drink from water that isn't still; you taste yummy to preditors; you like to run off your own way.  David understood this when he wrote this Psalm because he was a shepherd before he was a king.  I also love John 10:11-15 because Jesus tells us why he's the good shepherd:  He was willing to lay down His life for His sheep. 

Jesus came to give us life. (John 10:10)  He took on the preditors of our very lives and fought them off at the cross.  How do we know He is victorious?  How do we really know He is the good shepherd?  Two simple words:  He rose.  In those words we know He can conquer, set-free, heal, love, change...anything!  Feel the love of the Good Shepherd.  Hear Him whistle for you and follow Him.    

Just call me the Finder of Lost Things

In my family of 6 I am the one who finds lost things. 

This is what I hear:
child:  "Mom, have you seen my shoes?"
me:  "Where did you leave them the last time you wore them?"
child:  "I can't remember."
me:  "Are they in your room...under your bed/dirty clothes thrown on the floor...under the couch in the den...and why aren't they in the cubbie outside or in your closet?"
child:  "I don't know."  (and this is always a standard answer.)
me:  "Keep looking..."
child:  "Mom, I still can't find them..."
me:  "If I find them you're going to get into trouble, because that means you didn't look hard enough."
child:  "...Mom, I can't find them..."
At this point I look for them & 99% of the time find what they were looking for.  Go figure, I guess it's in a mom's job description.  Also, feel free to change the mom to Ashley because my husband asks me the same questions. 

This morning as I was waking up I was thinking about how God is the ultimate finder of lost things.  I've been talking to Him about it a lot.  One of my favorite chapters in the bible is Luke 15.  It's about nothing but things that are lost being found.  I really think my favorite one out of the chapter is the first one about the lost sheep. 

Jesus was talking to the Pharisees because they were grumbling, again, because he hung out with "sinners".  (Hello, we're all sinners:  Romans 3:23 to 'ya)  Jesus knew He had what these "sinners" needed.  He asked the leaders that wouldn't a person who loses one sheep:  "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..."  ~Luke 15:4-6a (italics added)

I love the word joyfully!  He found the lost one & was so excited when he found it.  When I find things for my family a lot of times they are relieved and joyful when it's found.  And that's just stuff...how much more excited is Christ when He finds one of His sheep that's been lost!  As we read on in verse 6 it says he calls his friends and neighbors and wants to throw a party because he found his sheep, and read this next verse, it will knock your socks off!  Verse 7:  "I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents..." (italics added)   Jesus and all of heaven has a party when a person accepts Jesus as their savior.  There was a party in your honor when you accepted Christ. 

We as Christians are all called to help to look for lost sheep.  You don't have to look very hard, they are everywhere.  But how we all rejoice with Christ as one of His lost ones accepts Him.  So it comes down to this...I double dog dare you to share Jesus with someone.  I dare you to tell them how much He loves them.  Don't worry, it's not your job to convince them about Jesus, the Holy Spirit will do that, all you have to do is share Him. 

If you don't know Jesus and want to, the good thing is it's not hard at all.  He never wanted it to be hard to get to Him, you just need to talk to Him.  Pray this prayer from your heart:
Jesus, thank you for being the good shepherd.  Thank you for searching for me.  I admit that I am a sinner and have done life my way.  Jesus I believe you came to the world to save me and that you paid for my sins on the cross.  I choose to turn away from my sin and follow you.  Thank you Jesus for loving me.  I love you Jesus, in your name I pray, ~amen
    

OK I'm up...

Today the Lord woke me up at 3am.  I don't remember what I was dreaming or even if I was.  All I know is that all of a sudden the refrain of the song, Waiting here for You is playing over and over in my mind...and good morning to me.   Usually when God wakes me up it's because I need to pray and meditate on Him.  Do I like waking up at 3?  Absolutely not, but when He wants me up, I'm up.  But why did He use this song, and why so early?

I do know the answer to that.  He wants to know where my focus lies.  He wants to know that no matter what I'm going to be looking to Him for everything; living a life fully surrendered.  Now let's be honest, God knows the answer to all these things before I even think them.  So in reality He's asking me to examine myself and see where I'm focused.  Am I being pulled away by all the silly little nothings; putting other things in front of my relationship with Him; when I've laid something at the foot of the cross, am I trying to pick it back up.  (something I really like to do...)

Focusing on God is can be easier at certain times.  I love going to church & I love worship.  You know why?  Because I can feel pressed down by life, but when I walk into church I become focused on my purpose.  I love worship because it takes my focus from myself and turns it to the One who knows me.  Now, I should be able to feel this way where ever I go because the Spirit of the Lord doesn't reside in a building.  He resides in me.  I carry my purpose with me, but I have a tendency to muddy it up and then it's not so clear what my purpose is.  But, then I remember to worship, pray, and put my focus back on Him; and the clarity returns.  The clarity that God loves me, wants to be in a relationship with me, and wants to guide my every step.

Thank you Lord for waking me up so I could focus on you.  Thank you for your Holy Spirit that guides me and fills me.  Lord, let there be more of you and less of me.  Let me walk in your ways and love like you do.  Lord, I praise you for not leaving me to do life on my own.  I love you Lord!  In Jesus name, ~Amen