"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" - Luke 19:10 (NIV).
An exile is someone who has been forced out of his country, and is caught up in a foreign land. Anyone in exile longs to return home and considers wherever he is as temporary. Sometimes exiles do fight their way back or bid time for a change of government and then safely return.
Exiles can't wait to return home because everything in a foreign land is apparently strange and foreign to their nature. It could be the food, language, customs, environment and mannerism of people. There are ever restless as they recall the pleasures of sweet home!
Whenever a believer backslides- turns away from Christ to seek refuge in the world - he is in exile! Much as he may put on a show of confidence for any child of God his new stead is all strange and unfamiliar. Some of those who backslid in an attempt to cover up their restlessness decide to over do it- take up all worldly mannerism, like as if there are at home. But deep in their hearts they know they are lost.
The story of a prodigal son (Luke 15: 12-32) is if a child who abandoned his father's home to seek refuge in exile land. There he couldn't settle- not until he decided to come back home. "For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found" (vv 24).
For any child of God in exile it is time to pick up and return home.The reason why you have been restless all along, never at peace, is because you are in foreign land. But home is calling and why not return.
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, whenever I happen to be far away from you and find myself not at peace, I pray that I may quickly get back to my senses, and come back home where I belong, this I pray in Jesus's name
Related upcoming events
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28/04/2024 - 29/04/2024 All day"The Lord is my shepherd!" (Psalm 23:1)
Psalm 23 of David is perhaps one of the best prayers ever written, with nuggets and inspirations, of benefit to us since and
ever before. “The LORD is my shepherd, “David begins.” I lack nothing” (vv 1). What is it that you lack? In his life David had started out as a shepherd, and he knew very well, that a shepherd’s job is to watch over his sheep, feed and water them, and since the Lord is our shepherd, we his sheep shall lack nothing.Verse 2 -3 says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” This exactly what a good shepherd does; he takes his sheep to the best fodder, ensuring that his sheep are well fed and rested. When the sheep are restless the good shepherd is troubled. Our God desires and is pleased when we are at peace.
Sometimes we may all find ourselves going through a storm. In Verse 4- 5, David says, "Even though I walk through the darkest valley I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” The Christian life is not without difficulties, but here David points us to God as our comforter and deliverer. We always have the staff of prayer to lean on.
In Verse 5, he writes, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” In his tumultuous life, David had to battle with many enemies, ranging from King Saul, to foreigners and members of his own family. He knew a lot about betrayal. And, we too, may face enemies no less, from those that oppose us in our workplace for their ambition’s sake, to those who are not pleased because of the Gospel we preach. Yet here, just as David, we are assured that victory is on our side- this is why our cup overflows.
“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (vv 6). The one who walks with God has a fresh smile ever, for God is with him. The blessings of God are with him wherever he goes.
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham,
maker of heaven and earth, as David prayed in Psalm 23, may I not be troubled, for you are my shepherd ever watching over me and your goodness goes ahead of me!
