“For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:25)
Songs of praise resound from those who have been delivered from horrible pits and miry clay. The horrible pit was one of self-love, not self-hate. The miry clay had us helplessly stuck in an idolatrous dedication to ourselves and our own pleasures.
The Shepherd of our souls did not rescue us so we could love ourselves more; He sought and saved us to return us to God’s fold, so we might love God more than we love ourselves. He came to destroy our foolish altar of self-love, and make us true worshippers of the Father. What a remarkable event true salvation is! Through it, repentance is granted to foolish, errant hell-bent souls.
Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me – so lost, so blind, like a brute beast before God. But a good God sent a good Shepherd into the world to save deceived sinners from their sin and folly – making them trophies of His grace.
How wonderful to now be in His fold, no longer living for my pleasure and praise, but living for Him who died and rose again for me. He sought me when I was a stranger, unaware of how alienated I was. He loved me when I was His enemy, opposed to His will and way. He rescued me from my worst enemy: myself.
Thank You, Lord!