Last week, I wrote about a cut off baby lamb we found in our pasture in the dead of winter. We brought it home and wrapped it in a big towel, turned the oven on very low and got the lamb warm. Then my wife fixed a warm bottle of milk.
Eventually our children had the job of feeding the lamb, and the lamb quickly became a pet and played with our children.
Mae roamed free, but she did not go far - and when my wife would call out 'Mae,' the lamb would come running to be rubbed on and loved on.
Eventually we took Mae to be with the big flock of sheep. When we had the big flock in the pens, my wife would call out, and Mae would come over to her - but not the other sheep.
That reminds me of something in the Bible.
It says God is love and He loves us, (John 3:16, Matthew 18:14).
But we are cut off, separated because of sin, ( Romans 3:23, Isaiah 53:6).
We must seek the Lord ask Him to forgive our sins, ( Matthew 6:32, Luke 13:3, 1 John 1:6-10), and call upon or ask Jesus Christ to be our personal Lord and Savior, ( Acts 4:12, John 1:12).
Only then do we have that new special relationship to God.
John 10:3,4,28 (3) To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. (4) When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. (28) When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,...
John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
See you in Church next Sunday.