August 27, 2019
Matthew 18:12-14
“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.
New International Version (NIV)
               Sheep can be sneaky!  A few years ago a shepherd had a particular group of sheep that kept escaping and running away.  Finally he put them in an enclosure and put a grate in the ground across the enclosure.  If a sheep tried to step across the grate, it would catch its foot.  These systems work all of the world.  But not for Houdini, the sheep.  No kidding, one of the sheep lay down and rolled across it.  Though sheep are not considered to be highly intelligent, the other sheep followed Houdini's example, rolled across the grate and ran into the streets of the city.

                What do you do to a sheep that keeps running away.  I have heard unrepeatable stories about shepherds who temporarily disabled sheep to teach them to stay home.  How does God deal with lost sheep?  Jesus told a story about a shepherd who left ninety-nine to go look for the one wanderer.  When he finds It he is happier with the one than with the ninety-nine.  Then Jesus said, "Your Father in heaven is like that.  He is not willing that one of these little ones should perish."

                You are one of those little ones that God just can't let go.  Our choir sang it Sunday, "Oh love that wilt not let me go . . . I rest my weary soul in thee . . . I give thee back the life I owe . . .that in thine ocean depths its flow may richer fuller be."  Have you let go of God?  He has not let go of you.  Even if you run away, he will find you.  God is not willing for you to perish.  Our life-giving God gave his Son's life for us so that we might live.  So rest your weary soul in him.  Give your life to him and watch how he makes it richer and fuller.
Pray with me:    
Father, we thank you for love that will not let us go.  We are trying to remember when we let go of you.  Thank you for finding us and bringing us back to yourself.  Let the good news of your love bind our hearts to you forever.  We pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.      
This year our Every Day with Jesus readings will follow The Bible Project Read Scripture Plan.  Copies of this reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download 
the app at readscripture.org.  Read through the Bible with us in 2019!
Joyfully, 
Duane 
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