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Morning Devotional 111722 Peace to You!

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Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room

November 17, 2022


Read Luke 15:1-7


1 All the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around Jesus to listen to him. 2 The Pharisees and legal experts were grumbling, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose someone among you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them. Wouldn’t he leave the other ninety-nine in the pasture and search for the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he is thrilled and places it on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Celebrate with me because I’ve found my lost sheep.’ 7 In the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who changes both heart and life than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to change their hearts and lives.

Good Morning, We once were lost, but now we’re found.


As I awakened this morning, I felt such peace. I’ve been sitting for several minutes just enjoying the quietness that surrounds me. Sometimes I get caught up in all that has occurred in my life to bring me to this moment here and now. As my meditation time continues, I begin to lift up in prayer to God those who are on my heart this morning, and I thank God for the blessings that he bestows upon us all. The peace of Christ continues to linger and I feel renewed.


The parable of the lost sheep is well-known to many of us. When I come to passages that I have read and heard many times, I like to challenge myself to listen carefully for new meanings that I might be ready to hear. As Christians, we find comfort in knowing that when we get lost, Christ will not rest until he finds us and brings us back home.


What does it mean to be lost? Do we ever try to get lost on purpose? Perhaps, you have had a similar experience as me when we are en route to somewhere and you make a wrong turn or miss a turn. This most often happens when we are traveling to a place we have never been or it’s been a long time since we’ve traveled there. Those times of being lost are frustrating, but understandable.


What about when you are on a normal path that you have traveled many times, can you get lost? I’ve had experiences when I was driving and following all the rules of the road like driving the speed limit, staying in my lane, and keeping a proper distance from the other cars. Suddenly, I came to an intersection and thought “where am I” or “how did I get here”? For a moment, I was lost because I was not where I expected to be. After taking a moment to “get my bearings”, I laughed and returned to where I needed to go.


I remember walks along the beach when I would say to myself that I would continue to the next treasure lying in the sand and then I would turn around, but when I got to that treasure, I could see another one off in the distance, and off I would go. By the time I finally turned to go back, I realized that I had wandered off much further than I planned. We are led by our desires to go just a little further, one more turn, one more stop.


Our spiritual journeys can be filled with many things: good and bad, happy and sad, expected and unexpected. It seems that we can become lost or wake up to find ourselves in a foreign place. Sometimes we choose to wander off the path, but other times (like the shell seeker) we realize we are not where we planned to be. Just like the driver following all the “rules”, we can miss a sign to turn or because of construction, we have to take a detour. Being spiritually lost can be just as frightening as finding yourself in an unknown location.


When we are spiritually lost, we are in darkness. John 12:46 “I have come into the world as a light so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” Jesus is the light of the world so that all may follow him on the path to righteousness. God promises us that when we are lost, Jesus will seek to find us, and he will not rest until we are found. God promises all who believe a peace that passes all understanding. When we turn our worries and troubles to Christ, he will accept us as we are and lead us out of our darkness. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV)


Gracious God, Thank You for loving us. We love You. May we trust in you to find us when we are lost. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen


Thought for the day: Help others find the light and lead them from their darkness.


Be the light! Pastor Liz


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Have a beautiful day! Pastor Liz

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