Good Mourning

"The LORD ... said to me ...
'Oh, that their hearts
would be inclined
to fear Me
and keep all My commands always,
so that it might go well with them
and their children forever.' "
(Deuteronomy 5:28-29)
This morning didn't begin so well for my daughter. As she left for school today, she pulled out a "green slip" for us to sign. A green slip is not a disciplinary action, but it is an admonishment, giving the student and the parents fair warning that some assignment was uncompleted, some responsibility was unfulfilled, or some standard was violated.

The egregious thing about this morning's revelation was our daughter's calculation in presenting it to us just prior to leaving for school. It had been in her possession since Friday, but she neglected to mention it throughout the long weekend, during the time when we were reviewing her assignments, and before she had enjoyed her weekend privileges. And, it's not the first time she "forgot" to mention a green slip or substandard test score until the last minute.

We were not amused. As a matter of fact, her deliberate deception cost her all of her privileges for a period of time still to be determined by her dad and me. It also resulted in a parent-teacher conference scheduled for this Friday, initiated by my husband this morning after he drove her to school.

Is she a bad kid? No. On the contrary, she is a wonderful girl, who just happens to be in her first year of middle school. Oy vey. Some people say that this kind of thing is "normal" for preteens and teenagers. We say that nothing "normal" or "average" about the world applies to Christians. We say that nothing below the gifts, abilities, and expectations that the Lord has for her is okay. And, so, after exercising repeated mercy and grace, her actions have wrought her consequences.

We do not like to discipline her. We love her and want only the best for her. It hurts us to punish her. But, precisely because we do love and want the best for her, God requires that we teach her and discipline her when necessary.

I shake my head sometimes, lamenting and thinking, "Oh, child, child. What are you doing? If you'd just listen to us and heed our instructions, you'd save yourself a lot of grief. Your life would be so easy if you'd just live within our guidelines and do the right thing."

It gives me compassion for Jesus, and at least a tiny taste of how He felt, when He mourned over Jerusalem: " 'O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.' " (Matthew 23:37; see also Luke 13:34).

Jesus grieved over His people, lamenting their disregard for His Truth and love, bemoaning the knowledge of the corresponding consequences of their choices, wanting them to accept the relative ease, safety, and protection He provided. " 'Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.' " (Matthew 11:28-30).

I also see God's similar plea in the Scripture that begins today's reflection. " 'Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear Me and keep all My commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!' " (Deuteronomy 5:29).

Moses implored, "... be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess." (Deuteronomy 5:32-33). "Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you. Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. When the LORD your God brings you into the land He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD, Who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only and take your oaths in his name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the LORD your God, Who is among you, is a jealous God and His anger will burn against you, and He will destroy you from the face of the land. Do not test the LORD your God as you did at Massah. Be sure to keep the commands of the LORD your God and the stipulations and decrees He has given you. Do what is right and good in the LORD's sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers, thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the LORD said. In the future, when your son asks you, 'What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has commanded you?' tell him: 'We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Before our eyes the LORD sent miraculous signs and wonders—great and terrible—upon Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. But He brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that He promised on oath to our forefathers. The LORD commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the LORD our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.' " (Deuteronomy 6).

Sadly, we know that most did not fear the Lord, nor did they live in obedience to Him. That is another post for another day, but, suffice it to say that out of all whom the Lord saved from Egyptian bondage, only Caleb and Joshua inherited the promised land (reference Numbers 13:1-6, 30; 14:24, 30, 38; 27:65; 32:10-12; 33:50-56; Deuteronomy 1:36). The marked difference, specifically in Caleb as the Lord highlights, was a matter of the heart. " 'I have forgiven them ... Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth, not one of the men who saw My glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times--not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated Me with contempt will ever see it. But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.' " (Numbers 14:20-24; my highlighted emphasis).

Beloved, the Lord is mourning over us even now, calling us to return to Him with childlike (although maybe not middle-school-aged!) faith and trust, urging us to repent of our waywardness, wooing us to come clean, imploring us to release what we think we best for what He knows is best. Why do we insist on rebelliously and short-sightedly clinging to that which does not satisfy? The Lord has blessings prepared for us, but we can not receive them unless we are willing to walk through this earthly life on His terms. " 'Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.' " (Matthew 7:13-14).

That Scripture from Matthew reminds me a scene from the movie, Facing the Giants. It's one of my (and my daughter's) favorite scenes in the movie. In it, one of the assistant football coaches is helping train the new kicker, who tends to kick everywhere around the goal ... but never through it. "Listen son," the coach says. "You act like you're gonna miss before you even kick the ball. You're kicking it wide left and wide right. Anybody can kick it wide left and wide right. My momma can kick it wide left and wide right, but that ain't what's gonna get you home. You gotta kick it through the middle. It don't have to look pretty; it don't have to look smooth. It can look like a dying' duck, but the ball has got to go through the middle. You're gonna have to choose the narrow way, because that's the only way you'll get your reward. Now kick this ball through these pearly posts!" (My paraphrase. :-) And, if you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend it!)

It is good that the Lord mourns for us; it shows His intense love. But, precious ones, we should be the ones in mourning. Let us lament the grief that we have caused to our loving Father. " 'Even now," declares the LORD, 'return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity.' " (Joel 2:12-13).

As I close today's reflection, I remember that tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the historical day of repentance beginning the Lenten season. How very appropriate. :-) (And, by the way, Katy is now home from school and working very diligently on her homework. She's not wearing sackcloth and ashes, but she did earnestly apologize for her lack of diligence and said, "Mom. I'm not fooling around anymore." Oh, that we could say the same to our Father!) May the new morning bring good mourning.

Precious Father, I thank You for Your mercy, grace, and love, and I ask Your forgiveness for the times when I stray to the left or to the right. I pray, Lord, to remain wholehearted in my devotion and obedience to You, and I ask for the guidance of Your Spirit to keep me on the narrow way. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Your perfect Son and my perfect Savior. Amen.

"Then those who feared the LORD
talked with each other,
and the LORD listened and heard.
A scroll of remembrance was written
in His presence
concerning those who feared the LORD
and honored His name.
'They will be mine,' says the LORD Almighty,
'in the day when I make up
My treasured possession.
I will spare them,
just as in compassion
a man spares his son who serves him.
And you will again see
the distinction between
the righteous and the wicked,
between those who serve God
and those who do not.' "
(Malachi 3:16-18)

For further reflection on this topic, see also ...

• "Sweet and Sour"
• "Cling to the King"
• "The Protection of Correction"
  

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!

Copyright 2009. Kathryn B. Wells. All Rights Reserved.

The Cost of Priceless Love (Free Gift: No Exchange; Return Required)

"You see, at just the right time,
when we were still powerless,
Christ died for the ungodly.
Very rarely will anyone die
for a righteous man,
though for a good man
someone might possibly dare to die.
But God demonstrates
His own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us."
(Romans 5:6-8)
Beloved, the Lord took my Valentine. I planned to use a graphic image of Scripture at the beginning of today's post. It's John 3:16, arranged so that the word "Valentine" is highlighted within the text. Oh, here it is; I don't think He minds if I show you:


But, precious ones, He replaced that sweet and sanitized image with something a little more graphic: a rather gritty but true picture of John 3:16: Jesus--bleeding, suffering, and dying on the cross.

Even as I type this, my fingers hover motionless over the keyboard. Where does one go from there? What can possibly be written or said about that incomparable sacrifice of love? The truth is that God's love is not a fluffy confection, which looks beautiful on the outside but lacks substance on the inside. It's not an artificial treat, which gives you a temporary high but leaves you quickly crashing. It's not perishable. It's not necessarily pretty. And it's definitely not perfunctory.

The love of God, manifested in the death of His Son on the cross, is unequivocal. It is unembellished. And, it is unending.

"The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.' "

(Jeremiah 31:3)

Beloved, the love of God for His creation and for those expressly created in His image is real! It is unimaginable. It is life-altering ... and life-saving. "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Psalm 103:17).

And, precious ones, the love of God, this salvation from Christ, is free! It is a gift of God's grace, the ultimate expression of His love, but it is a gift that must be accepted. It is free, but it didn't come cheap. It is priceless, but it was costly. And, precious ones, it is a gift that demands reciprocity.

"But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD's love is
with those who fear Him ..."

(Psalm 103:17)

Did you catch that? "... the LORD's love is with those who fear Him ..." (my highlighted emphasis). His love is available to all, but the full measure of His grace covers those who love Him in return. Not those who know about Him. Not even those who believe in Him. "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder." (James 2:19). God's love is personal. Intimate. Tangible. It requires relationship.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28). What a wonderful--and often misunderstood--Scripture. The first part sounds glorious: " ... in all things God works for the good ...", but we mustn't stop before the qualifier: "of those who love Him" (my highlighted emphasis).

Beloved, we must not take the love of God for granted. We must not sugarcoat Christ's sacrifice. We must not exchange His gift for artificial substitutes. Above all, this Valentine's Day and everyday, we must not fail to accept His love, and we must not fail to return it.

Precious Father, Lord, I thank You for the gift of Your love and Your amazing grace. I do not know how You can continue to love and cherish us when we so often take Your love for granted, but precious Father, I am so grateful that You do. Lord, let us not forget that Your love came with a price tag too high for us to afford (reference Psalm 49:8; 1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23), but let us rejoice in the knowledge that Jesus Christ paid that price in full. And, "... how priceless is Your unfailing love!" (Psalm 36:7). Precious Father, I love You. I love Your Spirit. And I love Your Son, Jesus Christ, in Whose Name I pray. Amen.

"This is how we know what love is:
Jesus Christ laid down His life for us."
(1 John 3:16)

" 'Love the Lord your God
with all your heart
and with all your soul
and with all your mind
and with all your strength.' "
(Mark 12:30; see also
Deuteronomy 6:5, 10:12, 11:13-14, 13:1-4, 30:6;
Joshua 22:5; Joel 2:12;
Matthew 22:37; Luke 10:27)

"Grace to all
who love our Lord Jesus Christ
with an undying love."
(Ephesians 6:24)

"He said to me,
'It is done.
I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the Beginning and the End.
To him who is thirsty
I will give to drink without cost
from the spring of the water of life.
He who overcomes
will inherit all this,
and I will be His God,
and He will be My Son.' "
(Revelation 21:6-7)

For further reflection on this topic, see also ...

• "Lost and Found"
• "Once ... and For All"
• "Time is Short ..."

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!
Copyright 2009. Kathryn B. Wells. All Rights Reserved.

A New Song (Sing Along!)

"Sing to the LORD
a new song;
sing to the LORD,
praise His name."
(Psalm 96:1)
Happy New Year, precious friends! It is a fresh new year, and a fresh new day. Let your very first thought this morning be this: the Lord loves you! HE loves you! He LOVES you! He loves YOU!

And, it is "because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning ..." (Lamentations 3:22-23; see also Psalm 30:5, Isaiah 33:2). Beloved, before you write one resolution or set a single goal for this new year, resolve this: do not live another minute without making Him the priority of your life. "For I resolved to know nothing ... except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2).

Know that He loves you. Know that He died for you and that He still would have died for you ... even if you were the only person on earth! And live in the light of that love. Love Him in return. And praise Him; oh, praise Him!

I love to sing, but I've never sung well. I have spoken before large crowds since I was young with no anxiety at all, but singing is a different matter. I was so unsure of my voice, that I even mouthed our hymns of praise during church worship services. Singing (at least in public!) was never more than a soft whisper. There is little that I fear, but singing in public was one thought that filled me with dread (and even gave me a few nightmares!).

The Lord, though, has a great sense of humor, an encouraging Spirit, and a way of helping us face our fears, whether we want to or not.

About a year and a half ago, I was taking a walk around our neighborhood, which is heavily wooded. No one was out except for me; it was a quiet morning, and I heard the beautiful and sweet sound of a lone bird, chirping and singing in the trees. I couldn't see her at first, but my eyes eventually focused, and I saw her sitting all by herself, nestled back in the trees, joyfully singing at the top of her little lungs. She was rather plain, just a simple brown little bird, and it was as if she was singing for no one except the Lord and for no reason other than His pleasure. As I stopped to listen and marvel at her voice, the Lord whispered to my heart, "Sing to Me a new song." (Reference Psalm 33:3, 40:3, 96:1, 98:1, 144:9; Isaiah 42:10. Also Revelation 5:9, 14:3.)

In that instant, I was filled with joy, and I realized afresh that He created everyone and everything to give praise to His Name. It absolutely pleased Him that I praised Him privately in song, but I felt Him encouraging me to praise Him publicly in song. "Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, His praise in the assembly of the saints." (Psalm 144:9).

Long story short: a few months ago, I joined the choir at our church. Now, beloved, I had no idea what I was doing. I could read piano music, but I did not know the difference between an alto, a soprano, and a no-no!

A few weeks after joining the choir, the Lord prompted me to show up to sing in our church praise and worship band. "What?!?!" I exclaimed, "That's only a handful of people who have been doing this together for years, and they don't even practice until a few minutes before the Sunday service!! I don't even know if they accept new band members. What if I have to try out?" But, in obedience to Him, I arrived early the Sunday morning after His prompting and hesitantly said, "I'm here to sing with the band." I don't know what everyone thought, but they were kind enough not to say it out loud.

Again, I had no idea what I was doing, but the Lord graciously led me through every song, note by note. I was amazed! And, I loved it! I loved praising Him in this new way! I have so far avoided any solo parts, but now, He is impressing me to share an a cappella version of "Amazing Grace" that I sing to Him in my own private praise and worship. Oh, have mercy! Please pray for me!

I share this, precious friends, to encourage you to put all of your faith, trust, hope, and love in Him. Listen to Him, and be obedient to Him. Most of all, love Him and praise Him! "For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him, strength and joy in His dwelling place." (1 Chronicles 16:25-27; see also Psalm 96:4-6).

Most of the world celebrated 2009 by ringing in the new year at midnight. I fell asleep about 11:30 pm but woke up thirty minutes later to the sound of gunshots ushering in 2009. (Which one of my neighbors was doing THAT?!) I stumbled past my sleeping husband, my sleeping dogs, and into the room of my sleeping daughter, to kiss her forehead. And I praised the Lord. "At midnight I rise to give You thanks for Your righteous laws." (Psalm 119:62).

Beloved, it is not the new year that gives us hope but our new birth in Jesus Christ. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade -- kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith -- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire -- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:3-7).

We can do nothing in our own strength ... but everything is His (reference Philippians 4:13). All glory and praise to Him!

Precious Father, thank You for Your love! Thank You for making all things new. Thank You for Your Word and the promises within it. I pray that 2009 will yield a harvest of righteousness for those who love and trust in You (reference 2 Corinthians 9:10; Hebrews 12:11; James 3:18). May we all sing a new song to You and "may everything that has breath praise the Lord" (Psalm 150:6). I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, the Good News! Amen.

"See, I am doing
a new thing!
Now it springs up;
do you not perceive it?
I am making a way
in the desert
and streams
in the wasteland."
(Isaiah 43:19)

For further reflection on this topic, see also ...

• "Lost and Found"
• "Because He Says So"

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!
Copyright 2009. Kathryn B. Wells. All Rights Reserved.

Lost and Found

" 'But we had to celebrate
and be glad,
because this brother of yours was dead
and is alive again;
he was lost and is found.' "
(Luke 15:32)
My family and I live in a large, wooded neighborhood of about 2000 acres, including approximately 400 acres of protected wetlands. It is not unusual to see various forms of wildlife, and, a few days ago, as my daughter and I drove home from school, we saw three deer on the side of the road. I slowed down (even less than the 25-mile-per-hour speed limit!) so that Katy and I could take a better look at them (and so I could quickly react should they decide to dart in front of our car!).

They were so beautiful; one was larger and two were smaller, so I assumed that it was a doe with her fawns. Suddenly, something startled them, and the mother and one of her babies ran towards the creek. The other baby, perhaps frightened and disoriented, ran in the opposite direction ... across the road and into the woods.

"Oh, no!" I exclaimed. "The momma has lost one of her babies!"

My pre-teen daughter, who has a soft heart that currently--and, hopefully, temporarily--beats a little stoicly, all but rolled her eyes at me, but, as I pulled over the side of the road, she turned and looked with me through the back windshield of our car. As I silently grieved for the lost fawn, I hoped that she would be reunited with her family before she came to harm.

As I sat neutralized on the side of the road, pondering the lost fawn's fate, the mother (and the fawn that stayed with her) ran back up from the creek, across the road, and into the woods ... presumably to search for her lost baby.

I don't know what happened after that, but I have hope that the family was reunited. Can you just imagine the joy of the mother finding her lost baby ... and the joy of the lost baby seeing her mother again?

My heart swelled as I marveled at the doe's instinct to go after her lost fawn, even though she had another safely with her, and I thought of Jesus' Parable of the Lost Sheep:

" 'Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.' "
(Luke 15:4-7)

In Matthew's parallel account of this parable, Jesus concludes:

"In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost."
(Matthew 18:14)

Oh, beloved! What an incredible Truth! Our Father in heaven, Who uniquely and purposefully created each and every one of us (reference Genesis 1:27, Psalm 139:13, Isaiah 45:12, Jeremiah 1:5, Colossians 1:16, Ephesians 2:10, Revelation 4:11), does not want to lose a single one of us! No matter how many of us are safely within His fold, He constantly seeks those who are lost.

" 'For the Son of Man came to seek
and to save what was lost.' "
(Luke 19:10)

In the ultimate seek-and-rescue mission, God the Father sent His Son, "... our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep" (reference Hebrews 13:20) to literally lay down His life for all of His children.

" 'I tell you the Truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the Shepherd of His sheep. The watchman opens the gate for Him, and the sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.' Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what He was telling them. 'I tell you the Truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the Gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have Life, and have it to the full. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me--just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father--and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to My voice, and there shall be one flock and one Shepherd. The reason My Father loves Me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father.' "
(John 10:1-18)

My favorite hymn is "Amazing Grace", composed by John Newton between 1760 and 1770. I sing it privately to the Lord all the time in my own little praise and worship offering to Him. Here are the lyrics of the original hymn:

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

And, in a true testimony to the timelessness of the hymn, here is a modern rendition by Chris Tomlin:



Precious Father, I praise You for Your amazing grace! Thank You for seeking Your lost children and for tirelessly searching for those who have strayed. May we repent of our waywardness (reference Jeremiah 31:19), and may we never forget Your commands and your faithfulness (reference Psalm 119:76). Thank You for sending Your son, Jesus Christ, Who has compassion upon Your children who are "harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew 9:36; see also Mark 6:34). And, it is in the name of Jesus Christ--my Lord, Savior, and Good Shepherd--that I pray. Amen.

" 'For this is what
the Sovereign LORD says:
I Myself will search for My sheep
and look after them.
As a shepherd looks after
his scattered flock
when he is with them,
so will I look after my sheep.
I will rescue them from all the places
where they were scattered
on a day of clouds and darkness.
I will bring them out from the nations
and gather them from the countries,
and I will bring them into their own land.
I will pasture them
on the mountains of Israel,
in the ravines and in all the settlements
in the land.
I will tend them in a good pasture,
and the mountain heights of Israel
will be their grazing land.
There they will lie down
in good grazing land,
and there they will feed in a rich pasture
on the mountains of Israel.
I Myself will tend My sheep
and have them lie down,'
declares the Sovereign LORD.
'I will search for the lost
and bring back the strays.
I will bind up the injured
and strengthen the weak,
but the sleek and the strong I will destroy.
I will shepherd the flock with justice.' "

(Ezekiel 34:11-16)

How can I encourage and pray for you today? Please let me know by clicking on "Sparks Share" at the end of today's reflection, and scroll down to the "Comments" box. You may choose to comment anonymously, if you prefer. Feel free to leave your praises and insights as well!

If this topic sparked your interest, see also ...

• "In the Shadow of His Wings"

Copyright 2008. Kathryn B. Wells. All Rights Reserved.