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OPENING PRAYER:
Lord lift my heart today. Help me to see all the ways you love me even when I feel alone.
READ:
“Now the tax collectors and the “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “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 15:1-7
REFLECT:
On the surface, it seems like we are all connected. We can reach out at moment’s notice, and with just the push of a button, we can be connected to our friends and family. We have hundreds of “friends” online and with technology we are never truly alone. This is how it feels sometimes. Then something difficult happens in our lives. We experience pain, suffering and loss and during those times it is easy to feel lost and alone. All those surface connections fall away, and we are often left with less support than we need. Sometimes those around us step up and help carry the load but sometimes they do not, and we are left feeling disappointed and lost.
God, the creator of the universe, is longing for us. God created us and he loves us more than we could ever imagine. It is easy to forget when we are struggling but God desperately wants to see us through our trials. We may not understand God’s sovereign plan, but he longs to carry us through our hurt and pain. All we must do is reach out. When we are lost, we only have to take a step and God is there to meet us. God is searching for his lost sheep and when we come home to him, he rejoices. We can persevere in difficulty by reaching out to God.
APPLY:
Reach out to God today. It may feel like he is far away, but God has never left. Let God carry the burden of your struggles and pain.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord, I turn to you today. I am ready to let you carry the pain and difficulty I am going through. Thank you for never leaving me.
WORSHIP: