Thinking of Better Times

†in His grip met last night. It was really something. We talked, laughed, I think the message really hit home for them.
I talked about what I called, "better times" when the youth group was smaller.
They all confessed they were different people back then and wanted to be those people again.

It's amazing how we can all get caught up in the idea of maturity, but the truth is, our character tends to devolve rather than evolve.

I guess that's why a lot of preachers like to recall the times of the "great revival of blah blah blah".

It seems easier to recall the good times than to embrace the bad times and move forward.
Sometimes we have to accept the fact that things aren't going our way, but keep hope that they will get better.
When we were talking, something came to me.
In Matthew 10:16, Jesus says, "You're going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack..."

This made me have an on-site ephiphany last night.
Jesus is saying, you are my sheep, and you're going to be among wolves... so be aware.
What I think He's also saying is the truth of the shepherd's job.

"I'll always be here to keep you safe. Just stay together where I can see you."

Sometimes we wander away from the flock and feel isolated... cuz we are.
But...
Sometimes we stray away and get nudged back with a shepherd's stick.
This is good. It reminds us that God still cares for us and is doing what He must to keep us from harm.

Maybe I'm just thinking out loud... but this sounds right to me.