During JESUS' ministry he told lots of stories that related to HIM and HIS FATHER and the Kingdom to help us better understand what it was all about. Once HE told this story about a shepherd.
The shepherd was getting all the sheep settled down for the night and he always made sure they were all there, "...97, 98, 99... hey wait where's Fluffy?" (You see HE knows immediately who is missing and HE knows them by name) "That little rascal kept wandering off from me today. He just loved those red clovers that only grow by the cliffs. I guess I know where to look."
JESUS goes right to the cliff it isn't easy for a person to get to, but HE doesn't care how hard it is to get to you HE loves you so much and HE know that you are lost without HIM. So HE climbs HE crawls, HE repels, anything to get to you. HE has to lay down on the edge of the cliff and HE peeks over the side to see you. You are in immediate danger.
This is were the sheep finds himself facing the dark horrors of his own actions. He is in trouble because he is in debt up to his cute little eyeballs, or she finds herself scared by the idea that binging and purging may be causing more health issues than she knows what to do with, or he has been found out by his loving spouse who saw what he was looking at online.
The sheep is panicking because of what it sees around him. No way out. He is pressing against the wall of the cliff bracing himself on the small ledge, with nothing but the immediate danger in front of him. He can't see how to get out he can't see what he will be doing on the other side of this because he thinks this is the end.
Now what?
He cries out in fear. Maybe he can't even think of saying the right thing like, "Oh, GOD save me." He could even be oblivious to the fact that he put himself there. But he cries out.
Like a mother who goes into the dark baby's room because she doesn't need the light the baby is crying and all it knows is that an angel has just reached through the darkness and with strong arms has lifted her up from the cold darkness and held her close. JESUS reaches down over the side of the cliff and lifts the sheep up into HIS strong arms.
HE doesn't care if you put yourself there you are one of HIS own, and HE wants you back.
The shepherd was getting all the sheep settled down for the night and he always made sure they were all there, "...97, 98, 99... hey wait where's Fluffy?" (You see HE knows immediately who is missing and HE knows them by name) "That little rascal kept wandering off from me today. He just loved those red clovers that only grow by the cliffs. I guess I know where to look."
JESUS goes right to the cliff it isn't easy for a person to get to, but HE doesn't care how hard it is to get to you HE loves you so much and HE know that you are lost without HIM. So HE climbs HE crawls, HE repels, anything to get to you. HE has to lay down on the edge of the cliff and HE peeks over the side to see you. You are in immediate danger.
This is were the sheep finds himself facing the dark horrors of his own actions. He is in trouble because he is in debt up to his cute little eyeballs, or she finds herself scared by the idea that binging and purging may be causing more health issues than she knows what to do with, or he has been found out by his loving spouse who saw what he was looking at online.
The sheep is panicking because of what it sees around him. No way out. He is pressing against the wall of the cliff bracing himself on the small ledge, with nothing but the immediate danger in front of him. He can't see how to get out he can't see what he will be doing on the other side of this because he thinks this is the end.
Now what?
He cries out in fear. Maybe he can't even think of saying the right thing like, "Oh, GOD save me." He could even be oblivious to the fact that he put himself there. But he cries out.
Like a mother who goes into the dark baby's room because she doesn't need the light the baby is crying and all it knows is that an angel has just reached through the darkness and with strong arms has lifted her up from the cold darkness and held her close. JESUS reaches down over the side of the cliff and lifts the sheep up into HIS strong arms.
HE doesn't care if you put yourself there you are one of HIS own, and HE wants you back.
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