To The Rescue!

    This weeks blog is going to be different! It was inspired my a talk given in our ward this last Sunday and the subject hit home to me and I had some of my own thoughts that I would like to share! It was about a hymn out of our hymn book hymn number 221 Dear to the hearts of the Shepard which is one of my personal favorites!

Verse 1. Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
Dear are the sheep of his fold;
Dear is the love that he gives them,
Dearer than silver or gold.
Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
Dear are his “other” lost sheep;
Over the mountains he follows,
Over the waters so deep.

In this verse I see that the Savior is looking for his lost sheep who is all of his children who hasn’t been living the right way or who is just not happy in life, but we learn that the Savior is right there with love ready to save us because we are worth more then silver or gold in his eyes and he will be willing to go over our mountains and to the deeps waters to save us all!

2.Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
Dear are the lambs of his fold;
Some from the pastures are straying,
Hungry and helpless and cold.
See, the Good Shepherd is seeking,
Seeking the lambs that are lost,
Bringing them in with rejoicing,
Saved at such infinite cost.

Our brothers and sisters are straying at this point and most of the time it is because they are not getting the gospel nourishment that they need in there life. And we can feed them all we have to do is to comfort them because they are cold they may not fill like they fit in life or that they have friends at all so we need to go and simply give a smile or a hug and be there friends and welcome them back to his fold. And rejoice when they do come back because they were saved with much cost witch is the cost of the blood of the Savior who was willing to die for us so that we may live with him once more!

3.Dear to the heart of the Shepherd,
Dear are the “ninety and nine”;
Dear are the sheep that have wandered
Out in the desert to pine.
Hark! he is earnestly calling,
Tenderly pleading today:
“Will you not seek for my lost ones,
Off from my shelter astray?”

When I hear this verse it makes me think of a couple of things one that if I was that one who left the fold he would leave the ninety and nine to come and find just me! Another thing is that the savior is calling and pleading with us to come back and have the joy that he has and to find peace in this life and in the life to come. And last I see that the savior is ASKING US TO HELP HIM! Which that makes me think of John 21:15-1715 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
 16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
 17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Let us put our name in for peters and this invitation apply’s to us today to go and help others come unto Christ!
4. Green are the pastures inviting;
Sweet are the waters and still.
Lord, we will answer thee gladly,
“Yes, blessed Master, we will!
Make us thy true under-shepherds;
Give us a love that is deep.
Send us out into the desert,
Seeking thy wandering sheep.”

Now if you didn't notice the first 3 verses is the Savior doing his works and

how to do it. The 3^rd verse he commits us all to follow him and to help him bring others to his fold! And the last verse is our reply “YES, blessed Master, we will!” and I will do my best at it with his help!

[Chorus]
Out in the desert they wander,
Hungry and helpless and cold;
Off to the rescue he hastens, (4th verse) we’ll hasten,
Bringing them back to the fold.
The chorus helps us find them and how urgent we should be in the work. Its not something we can just put off for tomorrow!
I know that this is true and that as we help the Savior and go to the Rescue we will have the most Joy, Peace and happiness in our life.