For “you were like sheep going astray,” so God got on His four-wheeler and rounded you up and brought you home. 1 Peter 2:25
Okay, so verse 25 doesn’t say those words after the quotation marks, but that is where my thoughts went to. Why? Well, Cole has been found a new friend at school, Justin. Justin lives out on a farm and has evidently told Cole that one of his chores is to ride his four-wheeler to round up his sheep. So, Cole now has it in his mind that he wants us to buy land so he can round up sheep on his four-wheeler.
Owning a home with land is definitely an option, but now we have a running joke that we want land so Cole can round up sheep with his four-wheeler. Using a staff (a walking stick) or riding horses is typically imagined, but an ATV? Cole makes me smile.
Let’s get back to the real scripture. Starting at verse 23 through 25 it says, “People insulted him, but he did not insult them back. He suffered, but he did not threaten anyone. No, he let God take care of him. God is the one who judges rightly. 24 Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you were healed. 25 You were like sheep that went the wrong way. But now you have come back to the Shepherd and Protector of your lives.” These verses pertain to the example Christ led for us while suffering.
Insults? Oh, I’ve been insulted a few times. When someone insults you it makes you want to boomerang their words right back to them. But is that what Christ would do? No. Others called Him every name in the book, and Jesus said nothing. The Message translation says, “He suffered in silence, content to let God set things right.” God will set things right. We need to follow Christ’s example.
Christ exemplified a perfect life for us to live. He did so and suffered for us so that we could stop living for sin and live for what is right. What is right? Christ. Live for Christ.
If you’ve gone astray from Christ, allow Him to herd you up. He is waiting for you on His ATV. Ooops, that would be Cole. But, God is waiting for you with open arms. Come back to Him.
Read more examples of how He lived so you can strive to be more like Christ. The bible is full of illustrations on how to live. I want to encourage you to soak up those illustrations and squeeze out what you learned so others can get some of God’s goodness on them too. Keep “soaking up the Son”.
Blessings to you.
November 26 |