God's Treasured Possession

Chuckle: An IRS agent asked a farmer, "How much would you say your prize bull is worth?" The farmer thought a moment and answered, "Well, that depends -- for tax purposes or has he been hit by a train?"

Quote: "We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God. He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts." --A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

GOD'S TREASURED POSSESSION

"Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep which was lost" (Luke 15:6 NLT).

During my childhood and teenage years, I remember well the churches where my father served as pastor. In some of those mainly rural churches, I remember seeing pictures of Jesus lovingly carrying a small lamb in His arms or across His shoulders. The pictures symbolized His love and protection for His sheep. The term "sheep" is used frequently in Scripture to describe those who belong to the Good Shepherd, Jesus.

Our passage is taken from a parable Jesus told His followers to emphasize the value of each of us to Him as our Shepherd. In the parable, the shepherd had lost one of his sheep and that sheep was so precious to the Shepherd that he searched diligently until the wayward sheep was found and brought back into the fold. God's love for each individual is so great that He continues to search for each one and rejoices when he or she is found

In the same way a shepherd loves and cares for his sheep, God loves you and me and wants us to be in the safety of His fold with all the other "sheep" whom He loves. Because we are His treasured possession, He first seeks us out to provide us a way of salvation through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. Then, once we belong to Him, He wants to care for us and nurture us each day as we grow into mature members of His "flock." He wants His sheep to have the best possible life each and every day.

I pray you are a member of the Good Shepherd's "flock" because you have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8-9). If so, God's Holy Spirit continually searches the areas of your heart and life where you have become distant from Him. He desires to bring you back into a close and loving relationship with Him, to heal your spiritual wounds, to restore your joy and peace that only He can give, and to protect you from the dangers of this world.

You may be going through some difficult times and you may feel afraid, lost, and all alone. You may feel that no one cares for you. Don't forget that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is with you and is there for you. He will rejoice when you return to Him and experience anew the safety and security of His loving arms. As His treasured possession, you are deeply loved and have great value. Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. . . I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me . . . and I lay down my life for the sheep" (John 10:11,14-15 NIV).

Love, Jerry & Dotse