By Kim. M.In my morning quiet times, I follow a reading plan and then often journal what I am learning. This morning I was reading in Matthew 9. I have a friend from another town who is going through a particularly hard time. When I read verse 36, I thought of her. I was moved by how Jesus saw the multitude and felt compassion for them - because they were distressed and downcast like a sheep without a shepherd. And so I journaled my thoughts:
Jesus has compassion for the distressed and downcast -He knows they need a Shepherd - He is the Good Shepherd. In John 10:10-18 and Psalm 23 - The good Shepherd protects His sheep; even to the point of laying His life down for them; He is concerned for His sheep; He knows His sheep and they know Him - it's a relationship. He guards, leads, and feeds His flock; He knows their condition; He provides for what they need - they are not in want. He restores their soul; He guides them in what is right; even in the most difficult of times, they don't have to be afraid - because He is with them; He comforts them. There is hope when He is the Shepherd; SURELY, CERTAINLY - goodness and lovingkindness will follow His sheep all the days of their life and after! It is relationship for NOW and FOREVER when He is our Good Shepherd. Thank You, Lord that I have this forever relationship because You laid down your life to pay for my sin that I might have a relationship with You.
Such good words from the Word… and I thought my quiet time lesson was over. Sometimes though, the Lord surprises me with how quickly He gives me just the place and situation to practice what I am learning.
After my journaling, I opened Facebook to send a message to my hurting friend. When I opened the news feed, I noticed a post from Arkansas Tech to their students. The title caught my attention: "Resolve to Get Involved." I didn’t even read the article, because my mind took an immediate detour and connected that thought with living life in the body of Christ. (I bet Arkansas Tech didn't think God would use them in my quiet time this morning!)
What a challenge those words were to me: Resolved to Get Involved. Sometimes I don’t want to be “involved” any more than I already am. I can be tempted to stay immersed in my own world and my own list of "to dos.” I want to justify my actions or lack thereof by how full my plate already is, or how tired I am, or a hundred other reasons that I could rattle off for you. But because I know the Good Shepherd, I can’t keep the good news to myself. I need to “resolve to get involved” with His flock and with those who don’t know Him! I need to engage in service, to reach out to the needy, to listen to the hurting, to encourage the downcast and distressed, to learn from the Word as it is taught, and to be willing to share the good news with a hurting world.
I don’t believe “involved” means “more busy.” It is much more purposeful than that. Sometimes being “involved” may actually mean slowing things down. It may mean doing less so I can listen more. Or it may mean I need to do more, but just in another place or another way. Being involved may require evaluating what I am doing to see if I am “involved” where God wants me. I need to discover where God would have me serve and then resolve to serve there…with a happy heart.
While my family is certainly to be my priority, so is my extended family - the church. I am to share the good news of a Good Shepherd in word and deed in my home, in my church, and with a hurting world. I KNOW this truth. I know you do, too. But I needed a reminder this morning.
So it is back to my journal...I need to add to my entry: May the Good Shepherd lead me; may I be attentive to His voice through His Word, and may I may RESOLVE TO BE INVOLVED.
