marylaw
Life Plan Devotion #249 [My Restoration, part I]
Jul 14, 2010
Hi, Everyone.I hope you're enjoying this mini-devotional series on the 23rd Psalm. I know I am. If you miss any devotions, remember that they are saved on my profile blog.
In thinking about the first part of verse 3, I decided it would be helpful to take 2 days to look at it, so that's what we'll do. Today is part one, and part two will be in Monday's Life Plan Devotion. Tomorrow, Lord willing, I will post the Flashback Friday Devotion.
Please pray for those having surgery today, as well as those recovering from surgery, and pray for any who read today's devotion and realize that they're in it (see devotion).
Blessings,
Mary
Life Plan Devotion #249 [My Restoration, part I]
Psalm 23:3a “He restores my soul” (NIV).
Sheep are apt to wander. They do not understand the danger, but the shepherd knows that a lost sheep is in grave danger. It is the same for the person who is away from the Good Shepherd, for whatever reason.
Today, let's look at the first type of lost sheep, the person who has not yet given his/her heart to Jesus. Isaiah 59:5 gives an accurate picture of those who live as lost. “Justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We look for light but all is darkness; for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.” The lost may try to convince themselves and others that their life is full, but in the depths of their soul, they know that there is something missing. That something is Jesus.
God loves each person, whether or not he/she has accepted Jesus as Savior. It was that great love that sent Jesus to us, that caused Him to be willing to sacrifice His life on the cross, to take our punishment for sins. The gift has been given, but each person must make the choice to receive that gift of forgiveness and salvation. Because we were created with the will to choose, God will not go back on His word and force us to choose. He will, however, pursue the lost with great compassion.
In Luke 15:3-7, Jesus tells the parable (story) of one sheep who wanders from the fold. Because 100 sheep would be large enough to have at least 2 shepherds, one shepherd will leave, to search for the lost sheep, knowing that the rest are safe. Each sheep is valuable to the shepherd, and that is how precious each lost sheep is to the Good Shepherd.
Why would Jesus endure crucifixion? I Peter 2:24-25 gives the purpose and the hoped-for result. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (NIV).
Have you allowed the Lord to restore your soul? Have you given your heart to Him? If not, why not? What is holding you back? The Hebrew meaning for “restore” is “to turn back.” Turn back to your Creator, God, and the Lover of your soul, Jesus. Open up your heart to Him, ask for forgiveness of all the wrong that you've thought, said, done. Ask Him to be the Lord of your life. Forgiveness and restoration of your soul will be immediate, and Lordship will be gradual. Your life will never be the same. For the first time, you will feel absolutely restored, complete, whole, and happy.
What this has to do with weight loss: What caused you to decide that something had to be done? How did you come to realize that your life had become unmanageable? How did you feel, down deep in your heart? You felt lost, I imagine. I know I did. I was weighted down with pounds of pain, and the pain was both literal and figurative. It felt similar to life before salvation, so I went to my Savior and asked Him to save me once again...to save my body from the destruction that I was causing. He did just that—through renewing my mind, healing my heart, and healing my body through opening the door to WLS, providing a plan of eating, and helping me to exercise my body. I could not do this without Him, and I encourage you to include Him in your weight-loss journey, as well.
Prayer for Today:
“Heavenly Father, I once was that one lost sheep, but You found me, and I let myself be found. Thank You for pursuing me, for not giving up on me. Never once will I regret praying, 'Lord, I'm a sinner. I'm sorry for all I've done wrong. Forgive me. I know You died on the cross for me. Come in to my heart, to live in me. I give my life to You, because You gave Your life for me.' Every day, Lord, I am grateful for Your gift of salvation, for the fact that I am no longer lost, no longer wandering aimlessly, no longer in darkness, no longer in grave danger, headed for an eternity apart from You. I love You, and I pray for all those who have yet to be willing to be found, that they will say 'yes' to You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.”
