LEAN INTO LENT DAY 34
(John 10: 27-30) “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father Who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
The assurance that Jesus not only knows us, be we can and do hear His voice, like the sheep know their shepherd and follow Him. Yet, if they stray, the Shepherd will seek them out. Once we are part of His flock, God and Jesus will seek our safety in Him. What a remarkable promise. Like the second part of the “Jesus Loves Me” song, we “little ones to Him belong…we are weak, but He is strong!” With our plea for forgiveness when we don’t listen, Jesus will never give up on us!
PRAYER: In the words of the hymn, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine/ O what a foretaste of glory divine.” when I acknowledge Jesus as Savior, my relationship is secure, like a Shepherd knows His sheep. Then, “This is my story, this is my song, following Jesus all my life long…”
Thank You, Lord, for never abandoning me when I stray, but with your loving arms, You will carry me to be with You eternally. Amen.
(Fanny Crosby, public domain, Hymnary.com),
From my book Restore My Sou Psalms: My Psalm Hosanna and Praise in honor of Palm Sunday
MY PSALM 313 HOSANNA AND PRAISE
Almighty Father, Prince of Peace, Holy Spirit my comfort,
What joy to come with songs of joy
To pray to Your Presence in heaven this day,
Lifting Your Name, Almighty. in overflowing praise.
Dear Father, You sent Your Son to fill our hearts
With the joy of our salvation.
The fountains and springs and rivers and oceans
Shout Your Name in exultant praise and worship.
The very stones rise up to proclaim the Son of David
The promised Son of God from prophecy foretold,
And we raise our Hosannas and honor Your Name.
Lord Jesus, we thank You, Priest, Prophet, our King!
With acclimation we witness Your Presence among us
Sent as a Child bedded in straw, Your rustic nursery,
Yet hailed by angels, shepherds, and wise kings
Who knew the world had suddenly changed
The night of your birth.
We knew You as Teacher, as Messenger, Healer, Preacher
For You proclaimed that Your Father, our God
Reached down to raise us Adopted as heirs,
His very own chosen, His children, sons and daughters
Created, related, elated to call Him, Abba, Father.
You walked dusty roads, slept where You roamed
To tell all nations of Your Father’s love.
Foregoing earth’s pleasure, You sacrificed all
To here proclaim salvation’s good word.
Although The King, You became mere mortal
A man among men, a servant to all
So we could become Yours, in Your eternal kingdom,
An irony we never, will never, comprehend.
And we now know, on dark Gethsemane
Your Father loved us enough to send You
His only Son, yes, You, Jesus the Christ
To be the blessed sacrifice to bear the sins of the world.
Yes, my sins were shed with Your blood that day,
Atonement for my past, today, and tomorrow,
For never could I come to Your Eternal Presence
The throne room of Almighty, Holy God
Without Your precious Blood given freely that day.
And Holy Spirit, my Comforter, Intercessor,
You called me to faith, even called me by name,
The mystery internal that prompted my heart
To understand God’s message brought here to my soul.
Thanks overflowing for letting me see
The story of creation to redemption and His living in me.
Because united, Father, Son, Holy Spirit Triune
I now know the import of that love sacrificed,
And yearn to be borne one day to Your Presence
With clouds of witnesses already worshiping there.
I’ll add my voice to the oceans and rivers
And stones and mountains and all of creation
To glorify, praise, and worship Your Name
With the angels and martyrs, and mere folks like me.
’Round Your Throne, in Your Presence,
Abba, Father, My Lord. Amen.
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