God’s Urgency

How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.
Matthew 23:37, NLT*

Jesus came because we needed rescuing. I love Mark’s description of Jesus’ reaction to a large crowd:

“He had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” (Mark 6:34, NLT*)

He had compassion on them. The Good Shepherd saw their need and longed to meet it.

Hear His longing in our opening verse, where He laments over the city of Jerusalem. He’s lamenting still today, calling out to so many lost and confused souls who don’t even realize their state.

Sometimes I catch an echo of his heart… the Creator, the King, calling… almost begging… for souls to turn His way.

It matters that much to Him. We matter that much to Him.

And I feel like time’s running out.

We can’t convince people to trust their hearts to Jesus. That’s His work. But we can pray for them, we can demonstrate His care for them, and we can speak a few words when they’re open to hear.

Fierce and gentle Shepherd, call Your lambs and help them to listen. Rescue them from where they’re trapped, from menacing predators, and let them experience the true and good care that only You can give.

Here’s Don Francisco‘s song, “Adam, Where Are You?” Hear the urgency in the final verse, and pray for those still in the darkness.

*New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

6 thoughts on “God’s Urgency

  1. Janis Cox

    Great job Janet. You did better than I getting MailChimp – you will have to tell me your plugin. So I am signed up. But as always now I must sign in from UTCOP because it won’t let me sign in from my website (self-hosted). I am thinking of going with Disqus.

    Funny that you wrote about urgency – you could also have mentioned your pull to go to this new site.. urgent?

    Great post – yes – there is an urgency but only to have faith, be aware and keep seeking Him for guidance. He will do the rest.

    Blessings,
    Janis http://www.janiscox.com

    Reply
    1. Janet Sketchley

      Janis… MailChimp: I cheated. I’m using a text box widget with the link to the signup URL.

      WordPress: it wants you to use a wordpress.com ID, and your website is independent. You could make a new Janis Cox wordpress.com ID to use instead of UTCOP, and then set the new ID as admin for UTCOP too so you could post there. (Anyone else reading this? UTCOP is Janis’ site, Under the Cover of Prayer).

      Urgency: I was thinking of God’s urgency toward us. Thanks for reminding me that we need an urgency toward Him too, to draw nearer and find ourselves in Him.

      Reply
  2. Mary Waind

    Not knowing where they’re at or what they’re missing… Father God cries for each one. We cry with Him and the Holy Spirit is working!
    Responses are coming!

    Reply
  3. Lynn

    Hi Janet,
    This is such a beautiful song, thank you for bringing it to my attention. It reminded me of why God asked the question of Adam .. where are you? It wasn’t because He didn’t know where Adam was, it was to bring to Adam’s awareness that the precious spirit connection he had had with God was broken by sin. Things would never again be the same. Jesus’ sacrifice was necessary to give mankind the opportunity to reconnect with Him.
    How blessed we are!

    Reply

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