“I have loved you with an everlasting love.”
—JEREMIAH 31:3

Did your family have a black sheep—someone who disgraced the family or behaved in a disreputable way? Were you even considered at one time your family’s black sheep? Being labeled a black sheep is a heavy burden to carry through life.

But the Bible tells us that God loves black sheep! Think of Jacob, for example—cheating his brother, Esau, out of his rightful inheritance and his father’s blessing. Or remember Manasseh, rebelling against his godly father King Hezekiah and doing everything in his power to stamp out his father’s heritage. And yet in time God humbled both Jacob and Manasseh, and they became His servants.

No matter who we are or what we have done (or haven’t done), God still loves us, and He yearns to welcome every one of us home—even the black sheep. And although it may startle you, all of us who call earth our home are black sheep in God’s eyes, for we all have sinned and rebelled against God, but He has not rejected us—even if we have rejected Him.

Never doubt the depths of God’s love—for you or for the worst black sheep you know. Even if you were the only black sheep, Jesus Christ still would have died for you. Let Him welcome you home today.

Father, the beautiful truth of the Gospel is that we could never be bad enough to be turned away from Your love if we only repent and believe. Amen

In Christ – Pastor Ed