*Day 12 - You Can Always Come Back To God*

Today’s lesson is about The Great Shepherd and how he loves us enough to seek us out like a lost sheep

Our God is a big God! He knows everything about everyone that has ever lived or ever will live. That’s a lot to remember! But did you know that each of us is important to God? Every single one of us matter to him. Jesus told his disciples this parable as a metaphor for his relationship with each of us:

3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost. 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.—Luke 15:3-7

No matter how far we stray from the will of God, no matter how far away we wander, God loves us so much that he will rejoice every time we come back to him. As humans we will, unfortunately, wander away at some point. We don’t always do what God wants us to. But God loves us SO much, that he sent his son, Jesus, to take all of our sins away:

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. –Isaiah 53:6

What that means is, all of us have turned away from God’s will and turned towards our own will at some point in time, but Jesus took all of our sins and laid the sin of the world on himself, so that we can always come back to him no matter how many times we wander. How awesome is that!?

God loves you and he wants to have a relationship with you. Like a shepherd seeking a lost sheep, he wants you to come back to him, and he’ll be waiting for you with open arms. He’ll lay you on his shoulders and rejoice at your return! Always return to the Lord, no matter how far you stray, because he will always be waiting for you.

Today, spend some time with God in prayer. Come to him and talk to him about what you’ve learned over the last several days. He’s always listening. If it’s been a while since you’ve spoken to him, just remember, he’s looking for you to come back to him. Just turn to the Lord, and he will welcome you back with open arms, and rejoice at your homecoming.

“Dear heavenly Father, thank you for always seeking me out. Thank you for forgiving me when I turn away from your will. Help me to always turn to you with all my needs and desires. Forgive me for relying on myself too much sometimes. Thank you for loving me enough to welcome me back each time. I know I am special to you. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!”