I love the idea of Jesus rejoicing in heaven when even one sinner repents and turns to Him (Luke 15:7). This is Jesus we’re talking about here. God incarnate. He doesn’t need to do this, but instead of allowing us to wander off, with us maybe not even realizing that we’re lost in the first place, He goes after us.
To many, this may not seem like a big deal. I mean, haven’t you heard that Jesus is my homeboy?? To many, He’s essentially a sidekick. Our genie in a bottle. Of course, He’s going to go after us! He’s a really nice guy! But I love how Tim Keller described his Ah-ha moment when it dawned on him Who Jesus really is:
A woman Bible teacher gave an illustration that changed my life. She said, “If the distance between the Earth and the Sun, 92 million miles, was reduced to the thickness of a sheet of paper, then the distance between the Earth and the nearest star would be a stack of paper 70 feet high. And the diameter of the galaxy would be a stack of paper 310 miles high. That’s how big the galaxy is. And yet, the galaxy is nothing but a speck of dust, virtually, in the whole universe. And the Bible says Jesus Christ holds this universe together with the word of his power. His pinky, as it were.” And then she asked the question: “Is this the kind of person you ask into your life to be your assistant?”
Tim Keller in his sermon The Gospel and Your Self
I can’t even fully comprehend that. The bigness of just our galaxy, let alone, the universe. And Jesus holds it all together with the Word of His power. That is such a beautiful thought, as well as a humbling thought. Who am I that He would care? Who am I that He should actually get excited and rejoice for someone like me who has repented? And given that information, what in the world should I do with it? Well, I know a few things that we should definitely do.
Be thankful! Praise the LORD that He is good. He bent down to find me, a rebellious sinner, and breathed new life into me. If again, you think about Who this is, the only posture to have is one where we are completely on our faces and thankful in the light of such grace, mercy, and love.
And what about faith? It’s crazy to think that we trust doctors with our lives (and I stress there’s zero wrong with that!) but we frequently don’t trust the God of the universe enough to pray and seek His face in His Word. If Jesus can hold the universe together, I think He knows what He’s doing in our crazy, broken lives. Even when we don’t understand and even when we don’t agree.
Of course, I can’t forget that I want to also have an attitude of worship and adoration. Our job on this earth is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever (Westminster Shorter Catechism). When we really think things through about Who He is and who we are – a lost, wandering black sheep -I can’t think of another response besides complete, all-out worship. My life is not my own anymore but I gladly give it to the One Who found me!
It’s funny how we can so easily honor people around us with awesome accomplishments. To the point of worship. But I’d have to say, the God of the universe is on a completely different level, no? Not that we shouldn’t honor great accomplishments, but I pray that we all remember Who is truly worthy of praise, glory, and honor. The Universe Maker. Our Redeemer. The Ultimate Black Sheep finder, Jesus.
This brings me to MHM’s latest sock design!! I love this design so much! Of course, it was fun collaborating with my oldest daughter on this. She drew out the black sheep and came up with the really awesome colors. She’s extremely creative and talented and I’m so proud of her! I hope you all like them even half as much as we do! And I hope you all buy a pair, and when you have those socks on, you are reminded of what an awesome God we serve. And that as we walk boldly in that Truth, we also boldly share our own stories of how we are that black sheep that Jesus came to save. If you forget where the story of the lost sheep is from, just take your shoe off and look at the bottom of your foot. Bible address is there. BOOM.
Love it! Go get some for yourself! Get some for your family! Get some for your friends! These are awesome stocking stuffers!! PLUS 10% of the profit from these socks will be going to the International Mission Board (IMB), supporting those who go to find other lost sheep around the world.
