Weekly Memory Verse

It's Monday again!! I don't know where the week goes, but they certainly seem to fly by!! Here we are, the beginning of the week again and time for our new memory verse.

Let's see how well I did with last week's verse:

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him......Isaiah 53:6 (NASB)

Well, I have to admit that this was a fairly simple verse for me to memorize because I had already committed it to memory some time ago--just in the NIV version rather than the NASB.

In fact, I have a fascination with sheep and shepherds--relating them to myself and Jesus. I've done several posts in the past about this which you might want to stop by and read them here
and here.

Yes, we all have gone astray from time to time, each seeking our own way and not the Lord's way. But, did God just leave us there--leave us there in our state of sinfulness?

No, He sent Jesus Christ to us--the Lamb of God, His only Son--so that we may see and have a living example of God in the flesh.

Do you remember being a small child and doing something that you knew you weren't supposed to do--deliberately doing something that went against your parents (or someone else) specific instructions? I know that I do.

Do you remember the guilt that you felt after not obeying? I know that I do.

Now, I take my own guilt and imagine that multiplied times the sins of everyone in the world. I can't even begin to tell you how many sins that would be or the weight of all that guilt pressing upon me.

But, Jesus took all of this upon Himself by being sacrificed--crucified for us--taking the entire weight of all the sin of all mankind. Hanging on a cross--sinless Himself--yet He loved us enough to take our sin and literally stamp it "PAID IN FULL".

Our debt has been "paid in full" by one who had no debt--a debt we could never afford to pay ourselves.

Our sin all fell upon Jesus. He paid the price for our going astray--seeking our own way and not God's way.

Sheep are not the most intelligent of animals. That is why they need a shepherd--to guide them along, keep them safe from harm. I just recently learned an interesting fact about sheep from someone in my Small Group:

Sometimes there may be a sheep or two in a flock that is rebellious--just doesn't want to listen or follow the shepherd's direction no matter what. The shepherd, after trying many times to discipline and teach these sheep to follow his direction, then has no choice.

The shepherd will actually break one of the sheep's front legs so it can no longer be rebellious and go its own way. The sheep is disabled to the point that it cannot walk, cannot carry its own weight.

What happens to this sheep that can no longer be active, no longer rebellious, not able to care for itself due to its brokenness?

The shepherd puts the sheep across his back and carries it--just like our Lord carries us from time to time--those times when we feel lost, alone and helpless--broken.

I thank God today for carrying me many times--times when I felt that I couldn't find my way, times when I could only see the negative in a situation, times when I almost lost my hope.

God didn't leave me there--He met me where I was, picked me up and carried me.

And I have to ask you today--

Has God carried you sometimes? Have you thanked Him for carrying you and paying your debt in full?

Let's move on to next week's verse. Oh, it is very easy!! I just looked and we're going to be working on the Queen of Diamonds from the "Embracing the Word" cards:

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.....Psalm 119:105 (NASB)

We'll again by using Mr. Linky. So, if you're participating in the "Weekly Memory Verse", please post and then link up!!

Beth