Each Life Matters

 "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish." Matthew 18: 12-14

    Recently, David and I traveled with a group on a bus trip to Holland, Michigan. We were two of forty-eight passengers, besides the driver, Linda, and the escort, Russ. Every time the group reboarded after a stop, the escort made a careful count of the passengers. 

    As Russ passed my seat, I ventured to inquire, "Does the bus ever leave if one is missing?" to which he vehemently responded, "Never!"

    His persistent counting of heads reminded me of the Lord Jesus. As the Chief Shepherd and Overseer of our souls, He is no less conscientious than our tour escort as He minds the sheepfold. 

    As I pondered this within the above scripture, it occurred to me that the lost sheep is a believer who had wandered away from the faith. To illustrate this, if a passenger had been missing from our bus, Russ would not have gone out and grabbed anybody from the street corner to fill the seat. No, he would, of course, make a careful search for the one who held the ticket to ride. No passenger is forced to get on the bus; they come willingly.

    To be a passenger on the bus to eternal life, the ticket price has been paid for by the blood of the Shepherd Himself, who laid down His life for us. To board the bus, one must leave his life of sin by accepting the free ticket and riding in the direction God takes him. And if he should wander off, the Escort will make a careful search for him, not leaving without him!

    I have been riding God's bus for many years now and I love it. The Driver knows the way like the back of his hand. The passengers are protected from harm. We are well fed and cared for tenderly. The scenery is always changing and the destination promises to be more than we could ever imagine. The fellow passengers are friendly, and there's plenty of room for more to join us. 

    The door is open! Come on!

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." Luke 19:10

"The Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

If My People

 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

    As part of the celebration of our country's 250th birthday, May 17, 2026 has been proclaimed a national day of rededication to God. I was grateful to read online the following: "Rededicate 250 will be rooted in giving thanks for God's presence in our national life throughout 250 years of American history and asking for his guidance." On that day, there will be a gathering at the Mall in Washington D. C. for worship and prayer.

    Over the past several years, my heart has been broken for my country. The lines of division and acrimony have been so sharply drawn, they are almost visible. What will become of the United States? Jesus said in the gospel of Mark, "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand." (3: 24-25) 

    My thoughts traveled to Nineveh, the wayward capital of Assyria, to which the prophet Jonah was sent by God to preach against it, because their wickedness had come up before the Lord. The man, Jonah, was very reluctant to do this in light of the barbarism his countrymen had endured at the hands of the Ninevites. Perhaps he felt God's merciful forgiveness should not have been extended to them.

    But God's ways are higher than our ways. His thoughts are higher than ours! (Isaiah 55:9)

    When Jonah finally made it to Nineveh, he rather half-heartedly went around saying, "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown." (Jonah 3:4) Though he wasn't the most dynamic evangelist, the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast and, at the king's direction, all from the greatest to the least donned sackcloth to demonstrate repentance. Within the king's decree, he said, "Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish." (Jonah 3:9)

    That is exactly what happened. When God saw they had humbled themselves and turned from their wicked ways, he did not bring on destruction after all.

    Each one of us must come to God in humility and repentance. Remember, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18) Please consider kneeling with others in rededication with a broken and contrite heart on May 17th. Only God can turn this thing around.