Heaven's Joy

[corinthpastorbob]

These stories of rejoicing by shepherds over one sheep lost and found, along with the parable in Luke 15, cause me to remember and give thanks that heaven rejoices over ME. Just one soul redeemed from bondage. If God counts by ones, he counts me.

Then I ask myself, how well are we doing bringing "the lost," one at a time, back to the fold? In the church of my youth, such counting was common. Everyone needed to know the moment he was "saved," and when you got "saved" you were baptized (or re-baptized), and you were counted. That theological system, however, designed to bring assurance instead brought me great spiritual self-doubt - because I could never identify "the moment" I was "saved."

Now I lead a congregation where theology and practice don't require people to identify "the moment," and where counting conversions is harder. It would be nice, I feel some days, to track the numbers on a white board. But we're a little more willing to trust the work of the Holy Spirit, and a little more aware that going from "lost" to "found" is only occasionally dramatic and sudden. More often, as with my own salvation, it is a process. But no less a cause for joy! We need to do better at celebrating.