Not Lost…Really I’m Not

"I have strayed like a lost sheep." Psalm 119:176

For the last of the devotionals from Psalm 119, I must use the first sentence of the last verse. Yes, like the Psalmist I sometimes act like a lost sheep. By no means am I actually lost, I know for sure I am found. But sometimes, I'll admit it because it is true; I stray just like I am lost. How is that possible? You see, when assessing our spirituality, or our walks with Him, we always find ourselves in one of three conditions. Remember, our position does not change, we are once saved, always saved (if we are for sure really saved in the first place), that is eternally secure. But our condition does change, or our situation, or our orientation.

The three words used to describe our spiritual condition are SPIRITUAL, meaning, 'in Christ', grace-oriented, found and victorious. Or, ASPIRITUAL, meaning, not 'In Christ', self-oriented, lost and defeated. OR, the condition that we don't think of very often but are more often in but don't want to admit it... CARNAL, meaning... acting like we are lost when we are not. Ooooh, I really think we have something to learn here. The reason the world is not very impressed by the witness of believers is because of all the hypocrisy caused by our choosing of the condition of carnality exhibited by too many Christians.

All of this is created in the first place by the wonderful thing called 'free will'. We wouldn't want it any other way, but wow does it ever make life incredibly fascinating. This is why Paul is so frustrated with himself in Romans 7 saying.... "What a wretch I am, the things that I want to do I can't do, and the things I shouldn't do, I find myself doing."

Paul too, like the Psalmist, like the Pastor, like the readers of these devotions sometimes, acts like straying, lost sheep. Not because we are lost, but because we are far too often, carnal.

Now, for some insight from English class. When we use the word 'like', Ahhhh... the simile. Remember from school? When something is like something else, but isn't really that something else, we use the word like as a simile, to make a comparison. When I think about how I am supposed to be like Christ, it pains me. I am very conscious these days of the distance between who Christ is in me, and me. Let me be the first to say again, how I know that I should reflect Him more accurately and sincerely. At the moment, I am under some conviction regarding that, and on that note I will humbly end this devotion with an encouragement. Be thankful for His grace every moment of every day and try harder to reflect Him.

Me too, Pastor Fred

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