Tuesday 9 Aug 2022

August 9: Matthew 18:10-14

Key Verse: Matthew 18:13
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.

Devotion:
When Jesus was talking to the disciples about the relationship they should have with God the Father, He would describe them as being His children. At the beginning of this chapter Jesus called over a child and sat the child between them using this picture of the trust of a child to show how they should trust God; trust without questioning! He said here the angels who look after the children will always have a direct connection to God in Heaven – we should always remember that!

If we are to get through to people and convince them about our God, we should remember the children because they are closer to Heaven in their relationships than we realise. Setting the right spark to ignite their passion for God at this stage in their lives is what we should be aiming for. Jesus reminds them He is here to look for the lost and to tell them the truth – what we should be aiming at doing too!

The parable Jesus uses here is of a man who owns a hundred sheep; if one of them should wander off, the man would go out of his way to go and look for the lost sheep to bring it back to the fold. We should be aiming at looking for the lost children of God too & encouraging them to come and seek out Christ in their own lives.

The joy of finding one lost soul and bringing it back to safety is much more than the joy of keeping souls which are not lost. When we go out to tell people about Christ, should we not be telling people who do not know Christ so they have the chance to get to know Him. If we simply continue telling people who do know Christ, what good is that other than strengthening their resolve?

Points to Ponder:
Who do you want to talk to about Christ?

Will you try speaking to someone new?