I know I say this sometimes and it doesn’t end up as I thought it would, but I really, REALLY think this should be a short-and-sweet message.
If you prefer to watch a short-and-sweet video, click on this link: Watch the video.
What does today’s title mean?
It refers to the drash (parable) Yeshua told of how a shepherd will leave 99 sheep alone to go find the one lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7; Matthew 18:12-14).
We are born lost, and what God is willing to do, actually desires to do, is to help us find our way to him. So for each step we take in his direction, he is willing to walk a mile to meet us on our way.
This is how much God desires to be in communion with his children; yes, even the ones who curse him and reject him.
Ezekiel 18:23 proves what I am saying, and if that isn’t enough, the entire Bible demonstrates God’s desire to have a relationship with us, but that relationship does have to be on his terms.
And to make sure we know what those terms are, he gave us the Torah: he first gave it to the Jews who, as his nation of priests (Exodus 19:6), would learn it so that they could then take it to the world. Then he sent Yeshua to teach us the deeper, spiritual meaning of those laws and commandments.
The Torah is more than just a bunch of commandments- it is a constitution for a nation, with a system of government (judges and Sanhedrin), a penal code defining punishments for both capital crimes and torts, rules for ethical business practices, rules regarding health concerns, defining what is morally right within interpersonal relationships, and a calendar of Holy Days on which to celebrate God and his many blessings he has given us.
The Torah is God’s “User Manual for Righteousness”.
And when we try to live in accordance with the Torah, as he commands us to do, we receive blessings each time we do something right (Deuteronomy 28).
So, in a nutshell, what we are talking about is how God is willing to go a mile just to meet us as we take steps to meet him.
All you need to do is take it a step at a time, and God will meet you before you know it!
Thank you for being here and please remember to comment, “like” these messages, and share them with everyone you know, even non-believers. Hey, after all, you never know how fertile the soil is until you plant a seed in it.
That’s it for today, so L’hitraot and Baruch HaShem!