Corona Devo 3134
I was about five-people-deep in line at a store the other day when the cashier had to step away to help a customer. As the line grew longer and people waited, a few men in the front struck up conversations. We all heard as they exchanged profanities as if they were pleasantries, and then they compared tips about where to buy the cheapest bottles of alcohol in our city. One of them said that he had walked thirty minutes to get to this store because he had lost his license and almost died in a drunken driving incident recently. And yet another man let us all know that he had just given plasma to "make some money", and that all he really wanted to do was to go home, lay down, and have a drink.
Day to day we may live in a little bubble of church-goers...we might prefer to stay in our homes and our status quo churches...but the truth is that we live in a lost world full of lost people.
Does this make us sad?
Does this make us mad?
Does this make us afraid?
Does this make us want to run?
Does this make anyone feel compassion?
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. (36) When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (37) Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. (38) Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” ~Matthew 9:35-38
Our world and its lost-ness is not new. People living without the hope and purpose that God gives is not novel.
There has been darkness almost as long as there has been light. But, Friends, if we have seen the Light, then we must shine it into others.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ~John 1:5
We cannot run from the lost people in this world, we must run to the lost people in this world.
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. (38) Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” ~Matthew 9:35-38
Jesus had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:35).
Just like when Jesus had compassion on US because WE were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. We were there, before we knew the Lord, and Christ had compassion on us.
It is also our call and our following-of-Christ to have compassion on others.
Don't run today.
We can't just shake our heads and shut our doors, while whistling hymns and sweeping our floors...and pretending that nothing is the matter.
Something is the matter with this world and its people. So many things are the matter, and only one thing, one person...one God will fix and fulfill them.
Our God cares about the men in front of me cussing and bragging about drunkenness. Our God loves each of those guys: the one who lost his driver's license, the ones living each day to drink, and the one who went and found the cashier and swore at him until he came back to the cash register to ring people up.
God loves us---Every...one...of...us--even while we are yet sinning.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ~Romans 5:8
God loves us--ALL of us, and He is seeking us, and He won't stop seeking the lost-of-us until we are found or until He does not have the opportunity anymore.
If God loves us and if Christ died for us (Romans 5:8), then shouldn't we love and be willing to die to some of our comfort-zones in order to share the hope of God with others?
God seeks the one. God wants those lost sheep in line in front of me at the store in His fold.
Then Jesus told them this parable: (4) “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? (5) And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders (6) and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ (7) I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. ~Luke 15:3-7
Don't be sad about those who are not following Jesus yet.
Don't be mad at those without God's direction yet.
Don't be afraid of those who hope in the world.
Don't run today.
Like our Savior and our God, let's feel compassion today. Let's seek those that are lost today. Let's share Christ's living hope with a lost world today.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” ~Matthew 28:19-20
We cannot run from the lost people in this world, we must run to the lost people in this world.
Blessings,
sarah
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