Today’s scripture: John 10:27-29 (NRSV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Christen Peters):
As of April 7, 2011, there are 6,910,795,756 people in the world, according to the World Population Clock. I am one, and only one, of them.
And God knows me. God knows my name. Just as Jesus was able to call to Zacchaeus by name in Luke 19:5, you and I are known to God by name. How precious we must be!
Think about the people who pass through your life. I’ll bet there are lots of them. Maybe you see them every day, maybe you see them in the halls at work, or the aisles of the grocery store. How many of them do you really know? How many of them do you even know by name? Generally, we know by name the people that have most affected us. What an impression we must have made on God’s heart that we are known — each and every one of us.
You say: “But, wait! I’m a sinner. In fact, I’m a bad sinner. I’ve wandered away from God more times than I can count. Surely God is ready for me to go once and for all.”
Not even close. God will never let you go for good. In John 15, the Pharisees are throwing a fit over Jesus’ inclusion of “sinners”. Jesus explains that it is the lost sheep who have his full attention. “…There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” That means you. . . and me. . . and all of the rest of this human fold to which we belong.
That still, small voice that tugs at you when you are wandering away is Jesus calling to you — the Shepherd seeking His precious sheep — calling out “I love you. Come home.”
Thought for the day: My God knows me and loves me. And I can never wander so far away that I can’t come home.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to start, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.