To be honest, until I read today's devotion, I had never thought about the "sweeping" work of Jesus Christ. So, once again, I'm grateful for the author, Dean Nadasdy, to focus on this one word today. There have been many times I have used a broom, or broom handle, to reach under an appliance or bed to reach for something I could not get to, or use a sweeping motion to see if what I've been looking for might have fallen underneath. There have also been many times, especially when sweeping out the garage, that I've swept thing up that I had long ago given up for lost. And, of course, brooms don't sweep by themselves. It takes effort on our part to make them work and do what they're intended to do.
This can all be related to a loving God who is busy sweeping God's world, both cleaning things up and finding things that are lost. Today's devotion reminds me that we have a loving, active, working God who goes to great measure to find the lost. God's work is "sweeping" indeed, "sweeping" in the breadth and effort God has done to draw all people back to God. Next time I pick up a broom to do some sweeping around the house (admittedly a rare occurrence!), I'll now remember God's "sweeping" work on my behalf, and on behalf of all of us. Given that new insight, perhaps doing a little sweeping around the house is not such a bad thing after all!
I, too, value the focus on "sweeping" in this devotion! I never paid attention to that word in this scripture before and I love how the author applied such appropriate parallels to our Lord's relentless, intentional, and thorough efforts to pursue us. Your elaboration, Pastor, will help me to remember and value this concept.
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