Old Testament Reading: Habakkuk 2
Luke 15 & 16 are primarily about God's heart for people who do not know him and the importance of communicating that love to them. Jesus' heart always longed for those who did not know him to be welcomed back into his family. He wants every person every where to know his Father's love. It also seems that Jesus is especially concerned about those who have lost their way in life and those who are destitute and sick.
I wanted to share a story today that shows how much God is willing to do to reveal his love to those people.
On Sunday, we baptized a young man. Just a week earlier he made a commitment at our Sunday gathering to follow Jesus, yet it was very apparent to all of us who had met him that God has sovereignly been working in his life for some time.
He had grown up in a semi-dangerous environment. Throughout his teen years, he turned to alcohol and drugs. He left Boston two years ago to try and escape a life that was spiraling downwards but instead became addicted to even harder drugs. However while away, he met a friend who invited him to church. It was during a handful of visits to that church that he began to realize Jesus was real.
The young man returned to Boston and was able to suddenly stop doing drugs. A few months ago, he began praying and worshiping Jesus alone. God was moving in his life. He met two members of our church at a Dunkin Donuts he worked at. They were there trying to convince another employee that had said he was going to come to church but hadn't come yet to come! Instead, they met a different young man who was hungry for God.
As that young man shared his story on Sunday, you could tell how much he loved Jesus. Jesus had done so much in his life, and he was truly grateful. His journey is just beginning!
As we pray during these 40 days, pray that God would lead us to those like this young man who God's hand is undeniably working on. May we have the boldness to speak up so the lost who are searching for answers know where Jesus' family is.
"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.'" (Luke 15:4-6)
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