THE NEW EWE

"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? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 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!'"

Luke 15:4-6

December 13, 2023

LIFE IN THE FOLD

Recently, Jon and I attended his work Christmas party. We were sitting at the end of the table and there was one other employee who arrived after we did, so he sat down across from us. His wife had had recent surgery, so was unable to attend with him.

I'm not sure of the context of the conversation, but something came up about marriage and this man made the comment, "I tell my wife that she should feel honored, because out of all the millions of women in the world, I chose her to be my wife." We kind of laughed, but then he continued: "Really, just think about it; out of the billions of people on the earth you two could have chosen anyone, but you should feel blessed that you chose one another."

This made me think of a story that I heard. When a child is adopted, even though they are with a loving family and living in a good home, there is something within them that still long to know their birth family. It doesn't matter that the birth parents may have made horrible choices and are living a destructive lifestyle, that child often wants to know their birth parents and it's hard for them to understand why they were given up. When they get older, some even seek out their birth mom and try to pursue a relationship; which can be a positive thing, but more times than not, causes heartache and pain.

A mother, who has adopted a couple of children a few years ago, said that it was hard seeing them still gravitating towards wanting to be with their birth family and sometimes seemingly choosing a desire to be with them over their adoptive family, who has loved them and treated them as if they were their own birth children. That can feel hurtful and as if they are being rejected, at times. They have a couple of other children, by birth, but have made no difference between how they treat and love the four kids. She said that she has come to the realization that she chose those kids and has loved and raised them as her very own; but they have to come to the point where they decide to chose her to be their mom.

In relationships, whether it be marriage, adoption, blood kin, friendships.... each person has to choose if they are going to be committed or not. If one decides that they are committed and the other person doesn't, then it's not going to work and there will be turmoil and struggle. You choose whether or not you're going to love, forgive, and be faithful -- even when things are difficult or there are disagreements, which there will be from time to time in all relationships. Each person has to choose to love and forgive, even when they don't feel like it or want to. And each person has to decide whether or not they are going to accept the love and friendship and commitment being offered to them.

It's the same in our relationship with God. He has chosen us to be His sons and daughters; but we have to decide whether or not we are going to choose Him to be our Father.

In John 15:16 Jesus is teaching and says, "You didn't choose me. I chose you....."

Ephesians 1:4-5 says, "Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure."

Romans 8:15 tells us that God adopted us as His own children. Verse 17 (NLT) says, "And since we are His children, we are His heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God's glory. But if we are to share His glory, we must also share in His suffering."

Another translation says it this way: "Now if we are children, then we are heirs -- heirs of God and co-heirs (some versions say joint-heirs) with Christ...."

One of the first things my niece and her husband did, after the adoption was finalized with their two children, was to rewrite their will. They gave those two children equal inheritance with their two birth children. It was important to them that there be no difference between the four kids. As far as they were concerned, all of the children were theirs equally and it didn't matter whether they were blessed by them by birth or adoption.

We can apply that example to the above scripture. When we become children of God, He "rewrites" His will... so to speak. He immediately makes us His heirs with His son, Jesus. We are co-heirs with Jesus Christ. That's pretty astounding!

Adopting us as His children was God's idea. In fact, one of the scriptures I used says that this is what He wanted to do and it gives Him great pleasure. But becoming His children, through adoption, doesn't make us inferior or less loved. His "will" says that we have equal inheritance with Jesus. He loves us so much that He wants to spend all eternity with us, where we will never ever be separated!

But we each have to make the choice whether or not we are willing to accept Him as our Father and live committed to Him. We can't say we love Him when things are going as we want and we feel like it; then if things get tough or something in the world looks tempting we leave to return to the father of lies, who is Satan. We have to choose God to be our Father, and decide that we want that bond with Satan broken forever. We can't be wishy-washy and go back and forth between the two. Either we are children of God and live as children of God, or we aren't. We can't serve both God and Satan.

In John 8:44, Jesus has been teaching the people and tells them that the devil has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is the father of lies.

Satan will lie to us to try and keep us separated from God. He doesn't love us or care about us or want good for us. He just doesn't want us to belong to God and be children of God. It's kind of like a birth father that doesn't want to love or care for his children, but he doesn't want anyone else to love or care for them either. It's a selfish attitude that causes hurt and harm and destruction. Perhaps it's because the father is so miserable and filled with bitterness and hatred himself, that he wants the same for his children and has no desire to see them happy and thriving and doing well. Satan only cares for his agenda and causing hurt and harm and destruction.

God, on the other hand, is a Father that loves and cherishes and sees the best in us and wants the best for us. He is preparing a place of beauty and peace and joy to be our forever home. He walks through life with us, provides for us, protects us, cares for us and loves us. He sees our value and worth. He wants to see us succeed. He sent His only Son to earth to die for our sins so that we could become His sons and daughters.

Going back to the example I shared in the beginning, in marriage we chose that one spouse and vow to love and cherish them in sickness and health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse.... until you are parted by death. Sadly, in our culture and world those vows aren't always taken seriously and it's easy to divorce yourself from that person and choose someone else.... numerous times, for some. Vows are spoken and broken. But for many, especially when God is the center of the marriage, those vows are taken seriously and that commitment is there. We choose that one special mate, out of all the billions of people on earth, to make that vow to and share our life with. And we choose to honor our spouse and see them as a blessing.

Jesus is our bridegroom and as His bride, He doesn't just choose one. We can all be His bride and take that vow to be committed to Him. He doesn't choose the prettiest or most handsome, the one who is the most perfect or most talented. He has chosen us all and loves us all equally, but we have to choose Him. It can't be a one-sided relationship. He loves us and will always love us. He has chosen us and will always choose us and woo us and pursue us! But we can't run away and refuse to give Him our hearts. We have to choose Him in return.

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

When Loretta and I chose each other, we didn't do it based on stories we had heard about each other. We didn't pick each other from a catalog, or pictures, or even from a single date. We took the time to get to know each other first.

I have met several people who don't want anything to do with Jesus because they are convinced they have to give up all the things they enjoy first.

But it isn't like that. You can learn about Jesus first, then pray to Him, and eventually pray with Him. And as you get to know Him well, you can make that commitment. And all those things that you were scared to give up, you will find that the things you were holding onto aren't so important after all.

ON THE MENEWE:

Peanut Butter Bars

Mix the first four ingredients into a creamy mixture and press into a nonstick or sprayed 9x13 pan.

Melt 1 package of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Spread over the peanut butter bar mixture.

Chill. Cut into 1/2-inch squares. Keep in airtight container.

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

I babysat my great-niece, Jovie, when she was small. She was mostly potty trained by the time she was age three. One day I was taking her to go potty and she kept dropping her bottom down towards the water while sitting on the toilet. I told her not to do that it was yucky.... I didn't want her to get her bottom wet from toilet water. Of course, she did her normal question of, "But why, Retta?" Jovie told me that she needed a bigger bottom. I told her that it would grow fast enough... but for now, to hold herself up and not drop her rear into the toilet and let it touch the water. She told me, "When I get bigger, bigger I want at bigger bottom like yours!" I told her, "No! You really don't!!" She argued, "Yes, I do! I want my bottom to be bigger than yours!" I told God that Jovie didn't understand what she was saying; so please don't let her words ever come true! I think God may have chuckled just a tad at our conversation!!

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

Fill your mind with God's Word and you will have no room for Satan's lies. - TobyMac

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org