Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

The Parable of the Lost Sheep
1 Then all the tax collectors and
the sinners drew near to Him to
hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and
scribes complained, saying, “This
Man receives sinners and eats with
them.” 3 So He spoke this parable
to them, saying:
4 “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? 5 And when he
has found it, he lays it on his shoulders,
rejoicing. 6 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!’
7 I say to you that likewise there will
be more joy in heaven over one sinner
who repents than over ninety-nine just
persons who need no repentance.
Luke 15:1-7 (New King James Version)

Reflection:

One of my favorite stories is about the
boy walking on a beach. Encountering
hundreds of starfish dying under the
heat of the burning sun, he started
throwing them back into the sea. A
passerby asked, “What are you doing?”
“Saving their lives,” the boy replied.
“Forget it,” the man said. “You can’t
possibly save all these starfish.”
“Right,” replied the boy, “but it makes
a big difference to each one I do save.”

I really love what that boy was saying.
I can't help but think about when the
wave of sin overcomes us and throws
us onto the shore leaving us there to
die.  God sent His Son, He gave us
His Son, to walk on the beach to
rescue all who repent, all who are
there to be rescued.  And Jesus told
His listeners in Luke 15, each time
someone is rescued, heaven throws
a party. "I say to you that likewise
there will be MORE JOY IN HEAVEN
OVER ONE SINNER WHO REPENTS
THAN OVER NINETY-NINE JUST
PERSONS WHO NEED NO
REPENTANCE" (Luke 15:7)

HEY LET'S PARTY TOGETHER!

Scripture:

John 14: 6-7

6Jesus answered, "I am the way
and the truth and the life. No one
comes to the Father except through
me. 7If you really knew me, you would
know[b] my Father as well. From now
on, you do know him and have seen him."

Reflection:

Today attempt to take this path in your
life remembering that Jesus is your path,
He is the way and the truth and your very
life.  If you know this you will know God
and will experience Him.
This is not a simple statement given to
us by Christ but a truth in your life that
you will experience.

This is what makes us different than
the rest.  We are unique, we are followers
of the truth and life itself.  Become that
follower today and experience that uniqueness.

God Bless You

Scripture:

Who else protects the poor and needy
from those who want to rob them?
Psalm 35:10 NLT

As for me, I am poor and needy, but
the Lord is thinking of me right now.
Psalm 40:17 NLT

He will rescue the poor when they
cry to him; he will help the oppressed,
who have no one to defend them.
Psalm 72:12 NLT

Reflection:

"I'll just have to go blind"

A man was having a lot of trouble
with his eyes. His doctor examined
him and recommended the name of
another doctor he should visit, saying,
"I would advise you to go at once and
take plenty of money with you, for it's
going to cost a lot."

The man had eighty dollars in the bank,
so he got his money and went to see
the other doctor. After examining him,
the doctor said, "I never accept less than
five hundred dollars for this particular operation."

"Well, then," said the man, "I guess I'll
just have to go blind, because I have only
eighty dollars."

But the good doctor said, "There is one
other way to solve our trouble. You don't
have enough to pay the bill, and I can't
charge you as little as eighty dollars,
but there is another way open to us—
I will do the operation for nothing."
And that is just what he did.

adapted from a story by Kenneth N. Taylor,
quoted in 1001 Great Stories and Quotes by
R. Kent Hughes (Tyndale House) p 180

Prayer:

Father, in your wisdom you have made
us dependent on one another, and so
we pray for the starving millions in our
world. Give us true repentance for our
greed and selfishness. Empower us to
make amends as best we can. Help us
to find the ways to share so that no one
hungers at the table of life. We ask this t
hrough Christ our Lord. Amen.