Straying Sheep

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"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."

1 Peter 2:24-25

Have you ever gotten lost? It can be one of the most frustrating feelings to not know where you are going. In fact, in some situations it can be terrifying.

Before Peter even gets to the sheep, he tells us how we got found in the first place. He bore our sins in His body on the tree. Not just took the blame for them, He carried them. Physically. On the cross. And here's the part that stops me every time I read it: by His wounds, you have been healed. Not by His strength. Not by His victory. By His wounds. The very thing that should have destroyed Him is the thing that heals us.

That's the mechanism. That's how the healing happens. Now Peter gives us the picture of what it actually looks like.

In verse 25, Peter compares us to sheep. When we were living in sin, we were astray and lost. We didn't know where to go. But after repenting of our sins and receiving God's forgiveness, we returned to the flock, led by God our Shepherd.

Where do you keep going astray? Maybe you're striving to stay on God's path but keep getting sidetracked onto the secondary roads by some sin in your life. Sheep don't usually run away all at once. They wander a little at a time, one bad patch of grass leading to the next, until they look up and realize they don't know where they are.

If that's you today, hear this. The wounds that healed you the first time are still healing you now. Confess that sin to God. Repent of it today, and ask Him to help you fully overcome it.

You're not too far gone for the Shepherd to come find you.

Be Nice. Grace Wins.

FMJ