17 Dec Finding What Was Lost
Many Christ-followers have spent a lot of time and energy debating whether December 25th is the calendar date on which Jesus was born. The answer is most likely no, and it doesn’t matter. For me, however, December 25th is an important anniversary in my faith life. You see, I remember what I got for Christmas on that date in 1969. In fact, that gift currently resides in my church office. It is a Catholic Bible, given to me by my parents. You see, I was sure I was going to be a Catholic priest.
I was all about God. I listened intently at catechism classes. I wanted to know all about God. I wanted to know God better and be closer to Him. That passion for God would soon be snuffed out. Emotional abuse at home and bullying at school, combined with a stifling legalistic theology that told me I was failing at every turn, created a chasm between God and me that dwarfs the Grand Canyon.
December 25th became a day when I expected to receive things from others and (begrudgingly) purchased things for them. Along came Ramona, then children, and attending church because that’s what I was supposed to do. Yet, I was far from God, even though He was right next to me. What I didn’t realize was He was pursuing me the whole time:
12 “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? 13 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. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. Matthew 18:12-14 (NIV)
For decades I sinned, and I sinned and blamed what I considered to be an absent God for my sin. Nearly five decades later, I accepted Christ for real and for God, on September 4, 2016. People will say I found Jesus. He wasn’t lost. I was. He found me. Less than two years later, He called me to ministry as my full-time vocation. Six years after that, the first Sunday morning service at Samaritan’s Heart was held, with me as its pastor. So, what about you?
Did you once have a closeness with Jesus that was severed by the brokenness of the world? Or have you never walked closely with Him? Either way, I guarantee you Jesus is leaving the 99 behind to passionately pursue you. And when He finds you, all of Heaven will rejoice. Or are you praying for someone Jesus is pursuing? Are you trusting that Jesus wants them near Him even more than you do?
Christmas is one week from today. Many people, especially children, are anxious to see what they will find under the Christmas tree this year. Whichever of the above circumstances you may be in right now, I pray that you, or the someone in your life is the one Jesus finds this Christmas season. May the sound of Heaven rejoicing be deafening to receiving hearts this Christmas Day, and every day!
Pastor Jerry Bader
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