Mothers’ Union Devotion Wednesday 8th December 2021

What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost. Matthew 18. 12-14

 

I went Christmas shopping the other day and it all felt a bit strange. Last year with the shops either shut or then very crowded with long queues outside I did all my shopping online. This year going into the shops with no idea what I wanted to get for people could not exactly be described as a pleasure.

 

It is fair to say that I felt a bit like a lost sheep among all those confident shoppers. Wandering among the ninety-nine sheep who seemed to know exactly what they were doing there. Exactly what they wanted and exactly how to get it. I suspect, however, that I was not the only lost sheep. I was probably surrounded by them. All putting on a brave face as they negotiated the threats and stresses of the power of our commercially orientated world.

 

Oh, to be rescued by someone who knew exactly what the best Christmas present would be for each person on my shopping list. Well, that is exactly the point of Advent. This is the time when we prepare the way for the very one who rescues us from our lostness. The very one who is the greatest, most needed and only true gift that us and all our loved ones need. God knew exactly what we needed when he put his plan into action. When he sent his messenger to Zechariah in the Temple. When he sent the Angel Gabriel to speak to Mary. When an angel visited Joseph in a dream. God worked away in secret bringing his plan into fruition so that we will no longer be the lost sheep desperately searching for our shepherd.

 

So, as we continue our walk through Advent we pray for a change of heart. A change which prepares us to rediscover this Christmas that Jesus is all we need. The Biggest Present. The Best Present. The Longest Lasting Present of all time. Once, we have discovered that, we need look no further this Advent. Instead, we just fix our eyes and wait for his coming on Christmas Morn.

 

With all my love and prayers in this season of Advent.

 

Revd Sandra