HE COMES TO US

Psalms 119:176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

All the religions in the world can be categorized in two slots. Those where we love God, seek Him by doing things to earn His acceptance; and those where God loves us, and he seeks us by doing things to bring us closer to Him. Really, this is the one main point of difference between the all the religions in the world.

Jesus knows our mortal frame and our sinful state. He is aware of the sins we know, as well as of the ones we don’t know. His love for us is not based in a reality ignoring infatuation; it is in a true knowledge of the death sentence passed to us due to our sin.

Let’s now take a look at the daily scene in a local tribunal. Here is this man in the defendant’s chair. He has the earmarks of streets life. He has stolen, murdered, raped, and worst, he is unrepentant. He looks, feels and acts like the lowest of the low. His soul is disgust; it resembles that of a beast. Through the media, he is already condemned in the low court of public opinions. The prosecutor has stacked up the accusations against him; for sure, not even the jury will show any compassion. He is condemned even before the trial begins.

Maybe we think, “This surely is not me”. Is it so according to God? In the divine mind is it really not us? In His eyes, aren’t we also the thief, the murderer, the rapist? The one whose sin will only be satisfied with the death sentence (Romans 6;23)?

But Jesus, our defense attorney, has faith in us. Maybe the world has lost faith in us. We may even have lost faith in ourselves; but Jesus has faith in us and seeks and redeems us. Somehow, He knows how to eventually reach down deep into our soul, and through His Holy Spirit, bring that conviction that provokes the repentance needed for true full regeneration. Not only that, but He has also paid the price of our iniquity with His own blood, to give the Law its due.

Isn’t it splendid that we have the Lord who can see through the sin that so “easily besets us” (Hebrews 12:1)? Who can see within us the deep yearning of our human soul for His Commandments? Isn’t it wonderful that even when we have stopped seeking, even when the fog of error has so enveloped us, that He still seeks for us at his own cost?

Matthew 18:10-14 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. (11) For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. (12) How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? (13) And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. (14) Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

Luke 15:1-10 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. (2) And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. (3) And he spake this parable unto them, saying, (4) What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? (5) And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. (6) And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. (7) I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (8) Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? (9) And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. (10) Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.