The One

I spoke with a friend recently who shared with me something the Lord had spoken to her heart.  I asked her if I could share what she told me with you and she gracefully gave me permission to share this personal story.

Tara is pregnant with her fourth child.  A couple weeks ago, during her 13th week of pregnancy, she had a lot of bleeding.  Enough bleeding to alarm her to the point of tears and a trip to the doctor's office.  She thought she was miscarrying.  She shared with me how while in the bathroom, she cried out to God praying.  She realized at that moment just how much she loved this life growing inside her.  She didn't want to lose her child.
Thankfully, when she arrived at the doctors,they did an ultrasound, and everything was fine.  It had only been a blood clot. Praise the Lord!

She related this to how God feels about every single one of His children.  She was devastated at the thought of losing this child.  How much more is God grieved by every single one of His children He loves who is lost.

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?

When I was lost, the Lord diligently, but gently pursued me.  I know some people must have been praying for me.  I am in awe when I think of how he pursued me.  He will "go after one which is lost until he finds it."

 

And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 

"He lays it on his shoulders"..... After someone comes to the Lord, the Lord doesn't stop pursuing them.  He continues to whew them with His love.  He continues to carry them, support them, nurture them.

And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' 

When one person comes to the Lord, a PARTY is going on up there in Heaven!

I say to you likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance."  Luke 15:4-7

God isn't mad at us when we go to Him with our sin  (news flash--He already knows all about it before we tell Him).  It says above that there is joy when we repent.  I know I thought that my sin was too great, that God would never accept me.  My shame was too great.  Those lies are not true, it is just the opposite. 

Rejoice in this today, it doesn't matter where you have been or where you are.  It doesn't matter what you have done, Jesus would have gone to the cross, He would have died if it was only for you.  He left everything to go after you. 

If you are a mother, think about your children.  Just like my friend said, isn't that one child worth everything in the world to you.  Wouldn't you give your life for that one child? How much more does our Heavenly Father love us? 

He loves and cares for us more than we could ever realize.  You can trust Him with everything, every detail of your life.  He cares about everything you care about....go to Him with it, trust Him with it and then thank Him for the answer. 

Is there anyone in your life who is a lost sheep?  I want to encourage you right now to pray for them.  

Think about that neighbor you don't like, or the man you see holding a sign that says "Will work for food" by the interstate, or the person at work who irritates you, or that family member who is hard to get along with, etc.....God loves them all, Jesus died for that one.

Someone was praying for me when I returned to the Lord and someone was praying for you when you came to the Lord.  I looked like a lost cause, trust me on that!  Sometime I will share my testimony, but I was lost and didn't want to be found.  I am thankful God went after this one.