When I was growing up, as a very little girl, I trusted my daddy. I trusted that he loved me, and that he would always protect me no matter what. I knew that was where safety was, and that I could run and fall into his arms and everything would be ok. I could fall asleep in his arms and rest.
Unfortunately, that ended when I became a teenager. The trust was broken, and turned to fear. He was no longer a place of safety. I became jaded. And therefore, my view of God was changed. As I grew into an adult, I didn’t know to truly trust that God loved me. I had been taught that if you don’t do exactly what he tells you to do, you are not loved, you are not wanted. I had to go through some cery very hard life experiences to learn , to really really know that God Loves Me!! He will move heaven and earth to get to me to rescue me! Psalms 18:3 - 17 is such a descriptive passage that shows his love for me and you.
In Matthew 18:12-14 is the parable of the lost sheep. I cry every time I think of that story. When Ian was little, he had this book that I wish I still had. It was called “The Lost and Found Lamb” by Tracy Harrgot. It was a flap book that you could flip up the rock or open the chicken coop and there was a dog with the shepherd who was helping to look for the lost sheep. It was so cute to watch Ian as I made voices for the dog and other animals while he was looking for Woolly the sheep. And at the end all of the animals threw a party for the sheep to welcome him home. I used to make all the noises of a party to entertain him. He thought it was great! When the last page and the last flap was lifted, it showed Jesus as the shepherd and wooly as a child whom Jesus was holding and loving. It showed what the story was really about! To think that I, a bad rebellious sheep, who gets caught up in wanting what I want when I want it, and I wander off trying to find my own way, is so valuable to God. The Good Shepherd that he leaves the rest of the flock and searches in rocks and crannies and crags just to rescue me who has realized that I am lost and all alone and has been sitting and crying, bleating, for help. He picks me up and puts me over his shoulders and carries me back to safety and nourishes my soul and cleans me up, and dresses my wounds and talks to me lovingly.
See didn’t just saw, oh well, I lost another one! No! That is not how MY DADDY WORKS! My Daddy loves me know matter what! He will protect me from the wolves. He will come when I cry out! He is the one I can run to for safety and fall into his arms and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is working everything out for my good! I can trust he will untangle my messed up life and restore what I was supposed to have!
Today, I pray that as you and I struggle with life as it is now, that we realize and know that we always have a place of safety to run to. That you can rest in whatever chaos surrounds you knowing that the God of heaven and earth has it all under control and he is working on whatever it is that you have asked for in prayer! It due time, His time, things will come to pass and all will be revealed.
May God richly bless you today!
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