Welcome to Week 11 of A 2020 Prayer Life!
What follows is a series of daily meditations and exercises to help us develop our individual prayer lives. This represents a one-day-at-a-time process. Simply read and do each day what is offered for that day.
What follows is a series of daily meditations and exercises to help us develop our individual prayer lives. This represents a one-day-at-a-time process. Simply read and do each day what is offered for that day.
March 11
Jesus adds to our understanding of the Good Shepherd in Luke 15 when He tells this parable:
What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ (Luke 15:4-6 NASB)
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Talk to the Lord about the value that the shepherd in Jesus' parable places on a single sheep. Talk to Him about the shepherd's reaction to recovering the lost sheep. Talk to Him about what you imagine the feelings and reaction of the sheep to have been.
March 12
Yesterday we took our first look at Jesus' parable of The Good Shepherd. Today, we want to begin to consider the larger context for that parable.
Luke reports: "Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, 'This man receives sinners and eats with them.'" (Luke 15:1-2 NASB)
It was in response to that controversy, then, that Jesus told His parable.
In your prayer time just now, talk to the Lord about how that context explains the parable.
Spend minutes exploring these questions in prayer with Him.
1) Lord, how does the shepherd reveal Your heart and Your actions?
2) Lord, what the shepherd show me about Your relationship to sinners?
Luke reports: "Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, 'This man receives sinners and eats with them.'" (Luke 15:1-2 NASB)
It was in response to that controversy, then, that Jesus told His parable.
In your prayer time just now, talk to the Lord about how that context explains the parable.
Spend minutes exploring these questions in prayer with Him.
1) Lord, how does the shepherd reveal Your heart and Your actions?
2) Lord, what the shepherd show me about Your relationship to sinners?
March 13
Yesterday, we looked at what came just before Jesus' parable of The Good Shepherd. Today, we want to consider what Jesus said right after the parable.
"I tell you that in the same way," Jesus said, "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance." (Luke 15:7 NASB)
In your prayer time just now, talk to the Lord about what the parable reveals about His heart.
Lord, why does repentance please You so much?
Why does the one who repents delight You more than the ninety-nine who don't need to repent?
"I tell you that in the same way," Jesus said, "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance." (Luke 15:7 NASB)
In your prayer time just now, talk to the Lord about what the parable reveals about His heart.
Lord, why does repentance please You so much?
Why does the one who repents delight You more than the ninety-nine who don't need to repent?
March 14
Yesterday we observed the rejoicing in heaven "over one sinner who repents." In light of that truth, then, consider this word from God through the prophet Ezekiel:
"I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?" (Ezekiel 33:11 NASB)
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It seems that sinners have two choices: life or death. There is sin or there is salvation. There is being lost or there is being found.
In the days of Ezekiel, the Lord makes it clear that His preference is for everyone to be saved. And in the parable of The Good Shepherd, He illustrates that He Himself comes to save them.
In your prayer time, talk to Him about the goodness of His will and the graciousness of His saving acts.
Praise Him for what He wants.
Thank Him for what He does.
In the days of Ezekiel, the Lord makes it clear that His preference is for everyone to be saved. And in the parable of The Good Shepherd, He illustrates that He Himself comes to save them.
In your prayer time, talk to Him about the goodness of His will and the graciousness of His saving acts.
Praise Him for what He wants.
Thank Him for what He does.
March 15
The parable of The Good Shepherd reveals some lovely truths about the Lord. We have explored some of those during this week.
Meanwhile, inasmuch as the image of the Lord as Shepherd is a relational image, it's possible that the parable is not just about Him. It is also about us.
In your prayer time, talk to the Lord about your role in the parable. Do you recognize yourself there? Do you recognize the Good Shepherd as part of your own personal experience?
Meanwhile, inasmuch as the image of the Lord as Shepherd is a relational image, it's possible that the parable is not just about Him. It is also about us.
In your prayer time, talk to the Lord about your role in the parable. Do you recognize yourself there? Do you recognize the Good Shepherd as part of your own personal experience?
March 16
Henry W. Baker wrote a lovely poem about the Good Shepherd from the point of view of the sheep.
Pray through this verse that reflects the story in Luke 15:
"Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love he sought me,
And on his shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me."
Confess to the Lord how you have been perverse.
Confess to the Lord when you have been foolish.
Confess to the Lord how often you have strayed.
Thank the Lord for when and how He has, in love, sought you.
Pray through this verse that reflects the story in Luke 15:
"Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love he sought me,
And on his shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me."
Confess to the Lord how you have been perverse.
Confess to the Lord when you have been foolish.
Confess to the Lord how often you have strayed.
Thank the Lord for when and how He has, in love, sought you.
March 17
As we conclude Week 11, we continue to pray through Henry Baker's verse about being sought and found by the Good Shepherd.
"Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love he sought me,
And on his shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me."
Talk to your Good Shepherd about the experience of the sheep in the language of the poet. If you have known His rejoicing over saving you, thank and praise Him. Rejoice with Him in your salvation.
If you have not known His rejoicing over you in saving you, ask Him to reveal His heart, His love, and His salvation.
"Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love he sought me,
And on his shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me."
Talk to your Good Shepherd about the experience of the sheep in the language of the poet. If you have known His rejoicing over saving you, thank and praise Him. Rejoice with Him in your salvation.
If you have not known His rejoicing over you in saving you, ask Him to reveal His heart, His love, and His salvation.