DECEMBER 15 FINDING THE LOST SHEEP By Chip Nightingale Director of Advancement, Word of Life Fellowship
Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (Luke15:7)
One of my favorite times of celebration is that day when a family brings their child to church for the very first time. As I put that child within my arms and bring them to the front of the congregation, a glow of pride and joy comes over those parents as we take time to celebrate this amazing blessing from God. The best part is the celebration from the congregation when we thank God for the gift of this child. This reminds me of a story that Jesus shares in Luke 15:3-7 about the lost sheep. He says, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.” The picture we see is God, our Father, coming after us. When He finds us—the day we become a new creation when we give our lives to Him—He lifts us up in celebration of our new life. But it doesn’t stop there. He says, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” The celebration in heaven is not just with the amount of people who could sit in your sanctuary; it’s a celebration of joy with a multitude of angels. The heavens are rejoicing. The world gives us so many ideas of the things we should celebrate, but what do you think is important to God? This year, as I go into this holiday season, I am being reminded that we live in a world full of lost sheep. I need to be willing to leave the ninety-nine who know the Lord and search out the one who is lost.
Pray and ask the Lord to open your hearts to who that one might be. Then prepare your heart to be willing to drop everything else to go and find them.
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