Jeremiah 50:6 “My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.”
When the Children of God forget “their restingplace” they expose themselves to the evils of this world, they subject themselves to the traps and devices of the devil and his minions, they fall prey to confusion and despair and discouragement, they open themselves to destructive temptations, and they loose site of the sure-promises of our God and their blessed hope fades. When their lives have fallen apart and they are grieving, they become a misery to themselves and to everyone around them. They continue in this miserable state until one day the Holy Spirit moves within them and again points them to “their restingplace”. Somewhat like the young man who, from the depths of his misery, said, “I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.” (Luke 15:18-19), he was ready to humbly return to his “restingplace”. But “when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him” (Luke 15:20), he was joyfully received back into his “restingplace”! Our “good shepherd” Who loves us so much that He “giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11) lovingly exhorts us to “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28)! This is one reason why we are so strongly exhorted to “consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25). That is, let’s make every possible effort to go to Church and encourage others to go, because there is where the God Called Gospel Ministers, through the preaching of the Gospel, point to the Lamb of God and declare, “Behold the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36), He is “The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).