When No One Else Will ~ Love the Prodigals

 

 

Photo credit Wikimedia ~ Johnny Durnan

**I have no idea how this happened, but this poem reverted back to a draft instead of published.  Sorry for the re-post!  But maybe there was someone else who needed it, right?

When No One Else Will

Love the prodigals
Out seeking life’s thrills;
Love the lost cases
When no one else will.

Love the undeserving
Whose lives are dark-filled;
Love the wanderers
Where no one else will.

Love the unworthy,
Those trapped in sin still;
Love the unlovely
How no one else will.

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Who among us was not a prodigal, at some point?  God desires for His lost sheep to come back into the fold.  What part in that process is He calling you to today?

None are deserving, but all are still loved by the Shepherd of our souls.

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 “What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? “If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.”
Matthew 18:12, 13

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God Values the One ~ Each Offering Multiplies

Multiplies

God notices the small
And hears their cries.
He values every one;
By them resides.
He takes each offering
And multiplies.

Do you ever feel like your efforts for God go unnoticed?  Do you sometimes long for a wider realm of influence for your messages?

In our age of self-preoccupation, it is difficult to stay satisfied with pleasing Christ alone, and all too easy to get caught up in the trap of craving affirmation from others. 

Desiring multiple likes,
Wanting more feedback,
Obsessing over selfies,
Longing for massive followers.

As ambassadors for Christ, we may even conclude that success means reaching the masses.  After all, does not the great commission instruct us to do just that?  To go into all the world and preach the gospel?  It would almost seem like God wants each of His followers to pursue a global audience.

But we are not all gifted to reach large numbers with the good news about Christ.  The Billy Grahams of this world are unique.  God knows who can handle notoriety without succumbing to the temptations popularity affords.  He recognizes that very few of us would stay humble. 

One of our biggest errors, though, is to dismiss the importance to God of the one.  He loves the world, and it is a world made up of individuals.  People like you and me. 

 God loves the one

Christ left the ninety-nine to search for the one lost sheep.  He met with one woman by the well.  He called every disciple, one at a time.  God sent His One and only Son to save mankind.  He would have done it to save a single one.

Since God values every person, we should not feel slighted when our influence is small.  And if our focus is on pleasing the One who really matters most, we will never be dissatisfied with reaching just one, even if nobody else notices.

God takes each offering and multiplies

What will be amazing is when we get to heaven and God reveals the full impact our lives had on others. He will show us how the simple offerings we gave multiplied.  We will find out that the things we thought did not matter were actually huge, when viewed from eternity.

Until then, we must take our eyes and emotions off reaching the masses.  Instead, we need to focus on Jesus and serve obediently, even if our offering seems way too small.

God values us, each and every one.  No matter the offering, He blesses and multiplies.

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“Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,”
2 Corinthians 9:10

Waiting For Eternity ~ Christian Poetry

Ticking Time

Waiting For Eternity

I’ve a ticking anticipation
Waiting for eternity;
A longing for heaven,
With all of its fresh discoveries.

Yet, waiting births frustration,
Tainting the here and now,
Clouding present joys,
Forgetting current blessings somehow.

Like the blessings of a beating heart,
And the wonders of creation,
Or God’s unending love
And His remarkable salvation.

I’ve still a ticking anticipation.
Awaiting eternity;
Dreaming of what will be,
While cherishing moments now given me.

****

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ. ”
Titus 2:13

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This is the second time I have used this photo of a Railroad Engineer’s watch, one that originally belonged to my husband’s grandfather.  If you would like to see that post, from a couple of years ago, see Tick Tock.  It’s a poem about not putting off a readiness for the rapture.

Sue Nash/2015

Weekly Photo Challenge: Serenity ~ God’s Perfect Peace

Serenity at Sea ~ Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

True serenity is not happenstance, as if found in some random place or elusive state of mind; rather, it is constant, emanating from an abiding landscape within, of a soul kept in perfect peace through Christ.
Sue Nash

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Last Fall, Jim and I were in Cabo San Lucas for his son’s destination wedding.  The tranquil setting above was lovely, especially at dusk.  This photo is one of my favorites and almost makes me want to take up sailing.

We both needed a break from all the medical drama last year.  Thankfully, God protected and enabled both of us to attend, and we had an enjoyable time.  We could not have done so, without His help.

Christ alone calms the storms we face and brings us an inner peace and serenity that nothing else can.

“You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on You,
because he trusts in You.”
Isaiah 26:3 ESV

“By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.”
1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭13-15‬ NASB

Close up at dusk

For similar posts of mine, see Weekly Photo Challenge, or go to The Daily Post.

Hanging By a Thread ~ God is Still the Lifter of My Head

Drooping Daffodil ~ hanging by a thread

Weak,
Wounded,
Symptoms hanging by a thread.

Torn,
Weary,
Unsure of what lies ahead.

Drained,
Broken,
Devastation now widespread.

Calm,
Prayerful,
Giving all to God instead.

Helped
Strengthened
By His power I will not dread

Safe,
Hopeful,
God remains the lifter of my head.

“But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.” Psalms‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬ KJV

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Hello dear blogging friends.  I trust you are each well and that 2015 is already blessed.

Very obviously, I have dropped off of the blogging radar.  There’s a reason for my infrequent posts.

After my neck surgery last spring, my recovery was slow.  As time progressed, many of my original symptoms improved, but several new ones appeared and grew increasingly worse.

Sadly, a set of X-rays done at the end of the year revealed why.  Two of the three cervical discs fused completely; however, the lower one did not.  And one of the screws on my titanium plate is loosening.  As a result, my neck is not stable and a disc below the surgical site is now showing stress.

I say all of this to explain my blogging absences, but also to send encouragement your way.

Despite admitted times of sadness, discouragement and fear, God has again proven Himself faithful and good.  He continues restoring my hope, lifting my head and getting me through.

He will do the same for you.  The same God who brought you this far, will carry you through whatever still lies ahead.

Trials rarely make sense.  But we can know that God does not allow these fiery situations into our lives because He is mean or uncaring.  He loves us and has reasons for it all.  When we cry out to God in the midst of our broken, torn lives, He will always be there to lift us back up and once again show forth His glory through us.

Photo taken last spring ~ at times, I feel as droopy as these daffodils!

If you are interested in similar posts of mine, see Poetry Corner.  I used to blog more often!