"Like wayward sheep, we have all wandered astray. Each of us has turned from God's paths and chosen our own way; even so, YAHWEH laid the guilt of our every sin upon him (Jesus)." Isaiah 53:6 The Passion Translation
When I was growing up in the city of Elizabeth, I lived on Carrington St. on the border of Elizabeth and Newark, right by a cemetery. Like most kids of my time (I’m 31), we weren’t really introduced to technology until 8th grade/high school so I spent my days outside with my friends. Playing baseball in our backyard that wasn’t OURS but we made it ours. Catching fireflies on summer nights. Popping the fire hydrant to have a water sprinkler festival to then realize that totally wasn’t allowed and running inside.
We had so many fun moments - but we also had those moments when our parents would say “no” and we still did it anyway. There were so many moments that my friends and I went astray and chose our own way. It never once benefited us, on the contrary, we faced several scary moments that we can confidently say it’s by the grace of God nothing happened. However, at the end of every wandering moment, my mom was always there waiting for me to correct me in love and then set me back on the correct path. She had to do it a few times, but she was always there.
As I read Isaiah 53, which foretells the suffering of Jesus and our part in that as humanity, I couldn’t help but sit on verse 6 and the realization of the work of the cross. The amount of pain, grief, and sorrow I had carried around for years without fully understanding that Jesus already carried it for me when he gave his life for me on the cross (v.5). I think it took a while for me to understand the magnitude of what Jesus could do because when I went astray, that became my identity - the wayward sheep.
I am sure I am not the only one who has identified as the wayward sheep; if that’s you today - I want to teach you about the power of accepting your need for a savior and what He can do for you. Not what your pastors can do for you, not what your leaders can do for you, or even your friends; what God Himself can do for you. Why does Isaiah use sheep? The reality is that sheep are silly. They are stupid even - headstrong animals who do not always follow the voice of their shepherd. I know I can relate to that!
One thing I want to point out is that we ALL have turned against God’s way at some point, and have given in to our own way. The reality is that we all have our own way of sin. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 “Because the carnal mind IS enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.” Romans 8:7
Do you see what I mean? WE ALL have fallen short - even those who have judged you, either before you or behind your back, about your own sins and struggles. It’s easier to fall into the trap of condemning the sins of others to justify our own sins - it is dangerous even to not acknowledge that we have turned towards our own way instead of God’s because that alone is sinful and can cause so much destruction, especially when a wayward sheep has approached you to help it return back to the pasture of its Master - yet you are too focused on what they “did not follow”. Matthew 7:5 says it best, ”You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” That my friends, is what I call a mic drop.
So, let’s thank God for the cross. When Jesus gave his life for me and for you, he did it out of love and because he wanted to save us from ourselves - our sins. We will never be perfect and every day should be a moment of turning away from our flesh and surrendering it to God and asking Him for forgiveness, but because of Jesus, we can find our way back to our shepherd every time. He is always there with arms wide open. Let that sink in: He desires the wayward sheep to return home and be solid - that includes you regardless of what you’ve done!
I desire a community that embraces the sinner and empowers them to know this Jesus - the Jesus that put his life on the line - and hung on a cross made for sinners when he was not one!
I love this quote by David Guzik: “Yet willingly, loving, He was numbered with the transgressors. Is there a roll call taken for transgressors? Jesus says, “Put My name down with them.” We would be shocked if a godly woman looked at a list of prostitutes and said, “Put my name down among them.” Or what if a godly man looked at a list of murderers and said, “Number me among them.” But that is what Jesus did for us, only to an even greater degree.”
If I was able to find my way back, I know you could too - but it can only happen when you understand that man isn’t who determines "your path back” it is He who calls the wayward sheep home.
