Good Habits and the Good Shepherd.

Time to re-habitize...

This post is written by one of my church's Bible Study leaders, Fred Panhorst (family pictured above from the time period mentioned in the post). His words remind us about the importance of habits and prioritizing what matters most.

Matthew 18:12-14 (NIV)
“ 12. What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and to look for the one that wandered off? 13. And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.”

In 1973 I was stationed at Fort Sill, OK and we lived in Lawton, OK. We were scheduled to join St Paul's United Methodist Church at the first service, 8:30 AM (we have always preferred the earlier services). Our first son John was not yet 18 months old and woke up in the middle of the night with a 103+ degree fever. Carolyn the RN could not get the fever to break and off to the ER at Reynolds Army Hospital we went. In a short period, we had the head of pediatrics, a neurosurgeon and several ER physicians gathered around out precious first born. Shortly before 8 AM I called the Church and said we would not be there that morning to join and why. A very short time later, Rev Mike Reskovac walked in the ER. I asked why he was there and he said this was where he was needed. As he was the only pastor, I asked about the church service and he said they would be fine. He stayed until sometime after 9 AM when John's fever broke. To be honest, I don't remember our son’s diagnosis, but I do remember a good shepherd coming after his lost sheep.

Recently in a conversation about the Thursday Morning Men’s Bible Study, Boyd Dowler said “Good habits are easy to break. Good habits are hard to start.” Let me say that again. “Good habits are easy to break. Good habits are hard to start.”

As we reopen the Church to indoor worship, I think that is where many of our congregation now find themselves. The “good habit” of coming to Church on Sunday morning is broken
and it is hard to restart.

It is incumbent upon church leadership, to act as shepherds to our flock. When you look about the congregation and see a missing face, reach out to that lost sheep and help bring them back to the flock and the “good habitat” of worshiping in Church on Sunday morning.

Let us Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help us to be Your shepherds and to care for Your sheep so that we may once again worship together. In Jesus name I pray,

Amen