Return to the Shepherd

Have you returned? Have you returned after going astray? Have you returned to the shepherd? Have you returned to the guardian of your soul? Have you returned to the One who has freed you from your sins? Have you returned to live a life of righteousness? Have you been healed?

Returning can be difficult. It can especially be difficult returning home after being away for a significant amount of time. Things have changed. You have changed. Home doesn’t always feel like home anymore. Some of our friends may have moved away. Our favorite restaurant may have closed.

The truth of the matter is simple, nothing ever stays the same. As much as we don’t like change, things change every day. The same can be said for the church. Sure, we say that God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. And…we misinterpret that saying. True God is the same in that he is God. But God also changes with the times. What do I mean by that? Simple, God meets us in the context of time in which we find ourselves.

Think about this for a moment. If Jesus had been born in our time rather than some two-thousand years ago, would He have used shepherds in His parables? I doubt it. He might have used office environments, department store staff, or maybe even corporate executives.

So, if we have been away from church for a while, it won’t be quite what we remember. If we go in expecting to see the same pastor, he or she may have long since moved on. Even some of the people who were there have either passed on or moved on. The membership may have nearly turned over completely.

Yet, we are called to return if we have strayed. We are reminded that Jesus bore our sins so that we might be set free of them. We are told that we are healed because of his wounds. He is our shepherd. He is the guardian of our souls. We are to live for righteousness.

I pray we all remember what Jesus has done for us. I pray we know that He has set us free. I pray each one of us will return to our shepherd and live for righteousness. Remember Jesus. Remember Jesus bore your sins. Know that you have been healed. Return to Jesus. He stands with His arms wide open.

1 Peter 2:24-25 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.