Search. Seek.

Thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. 

 - Ezekiel 34

This idea of painstakingly seeking for the lost sheep of Israel;

This unending mission of God, actively looking for His own.

He will gather all of them. They will be placed in Zion, in Israel, and will be treated as people born there. Israel and Zion are the home of God's people . . . all of God's people, no matter where on earth they began their journey.

This seems like a practical lesson for us. When we are separated from someone else -  a family member, a friend, a neighbor - our response should be as one that searches. We seek them out. We don't give up.

What's God's will for your life? Search for His sheep.

Do walls divide you from others? Walls of denominationalism or of political party? Walls of family strife? Walls of geographical separation? Walls of hate?

Seek them out.

God doesn't berate His sheep when they are found. When they leave He doesn't say "Good riddance!"

He smiles, he laughs. He hollers with glee that His sheep has been found. And then He carefully cradles the sheep, once lost, and carries him or her home.

Today I'm thinking about two things:

1) Alienation on social media. When you're having a really rough time debating people on Facebook, stop thinking of them as a rival, or opponent. They are God's own, as are you, and some artificial wall is erected that keeps you apart. Seek them out. Welcome them. Do NOT judge or treat them harshly.

2) Family. Always family. The lost sheep narrative has special relevance in the family setting. Families are automatically connected through DNA. And when there is a separation it's like you've torn a rift into nature itself. You must go seek out your estranged family member . . . for your own good.

(Yes, I know . . . love lets go. And Christ came to divide father from daughter, etc. That's another lesson).

"Feed my sheep."