“He calls his
own sheep by name and leads them out.”
(John 10:3b)
This morning
my soul woke up a bit slow and somewhat reluctant to be called out into the
Monday and week awaiting. Perhaps as the sunrays just couldn’t break through
the grey cloudiness outside, the rays of joy and enthusiasm that usually lifts
me up and into the day just couldn’t break through this morning. Oh, there’s
nothing seriously wrong. No specific reason. I just somehow lacked the
necessary ‘oomph’ for the day. I found myself unwilling to go through my usual
Monday morning house sorting, or doing the taxes, cleaning my two canaries’
cages or even joining my husband for breakfast in town.
So after
opting for a lower input beauty routine and leaving my hair to dry into its own
curliness after a quick shower, I sat myself down with a cup of ginger and
lemon rooibos tea, my favorite journal, “The Journey”, my Bible and my Friend.
Reading from
John 10, the above words of John 10:3 spoke to my sluggish sole. Yes, Jesus
came this morning as He always does and He called me out. ‘Oh Lord, you know
that this little sheep was not very enthusiastic about going out today!’ I
smilingly acknowledged to Him.
I continued, “But
Lord I know that You picked me up and lovingly carried me out in Your arms
until I felt better and You could put me down again. And as I started out next
to You, soon I once again felt the strength to join the flock out here in the
fields.”
Pondering on
my lack of zest this morning yet knowing that I am still safe in my Shepherd’s
hands, I recognized the beauty of what He gave us. It is so precious and it
shines through even the most grey days. Whom of us cannot sing along, even when
our souls are a bit slow:
Praise, my
soul, the King of heaven;
To His feet
thy tribute bring;
Ransomed,
healed, restored, forgiven,
Who like thee
His praise should sing?
Praise the
everlasting King.
Ransomed,
healed, restored and forgiven. There it is. Will we ever grasp the full beauty of these truths?
I am
ransomed. God has delivered me ‘from the power
of darkness’ and has translated me ‘into the kingdom of his dear Son.’
When you listen to the stories of people who have been caught up in Satanism or
a life of horror and death and drugs and violence and unforgiveness and anger,
you KNOW that the life of love and righteousness gifted us in Christ in the
Kingdom of Light is beyond precious.
I am also healed. “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for
our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be
healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) God did not leave me in my sinful, hopeless
condition. He healed my heart! My heart is now filled with love for my Redeemer
and I want to live according to His laws which I recognize as good. I may still
err, but it brings me no joy to follow my own worldly ways. I find joy in
Christ as I learn on a daily basis to walk in His Holy Spirit.
Restored. The truth of this word brings tears to my eyes. I was a
sinner and I could have been unable to ever come into the sweet presence of
God, but Jesus paid the ransom price and now, because of Him, I have been restored.
I am now a dearly loved child of God, included in a kingdom of priests and a
bride of Christ! In Christ I have been restored to a position of glory, seated
in the heavenly realms. ‘…God was
pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery…which is
Christ in you, the hope of glory’ (Colossians 1:27.)
Forgiven. I am forgiven. I have been given life in Christ in His Kingdom now and forever.
My soul might wake up on a grey Monday morning, feeling a bit
unwilling to be called out into a demanding day, but deep down all is well with
my soul because I belong to Christ, the lover of my soul…my Saviour and my
life!
Therefore I sing out loud (and may you join me even on a grey Monday in your own life)
“Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost
being, praise his holy name.”
(Psalm 103:1)
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