Dear John and Doves—

I have been a lurker on the 5 Doves for several years.  I look forward to reading everyone’s thoughts and impressions daily(except Sunday!)  Something happened to me a couple of years ago that was really profound and helped me settle the question of my salvation.  Up until then, I had struggled with not feeling like a “good-enough” Christian.  I wanted to share it with you, and if you think it is worth posting, please do.  Thank you so much for all your efforts—I feel like I know you all even though we have never met, and I look forward to meeting you in Eternity.

Blessings,

Carol S.
 

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The Lamb

 

Listening to my favorite Bible teacher, Beth Moore, I drove distractedly.  I was almost on auto-pilot doing my errands, as she taught about the meaning of the Sabbath.  She was saying that when God rested after the six days of creation, it wasn’t because He was tired, but because He was done:  His task of creation was complete and perfect.  Then she went on to say, wouldn’t it be nice to have something just done, or settled, in your life right now?   She said that God could help me do just that.  I thought about my relationship with the Lord and wondered what needed “settling”.  What is there that I keep going back to because I don’t have the assurance I need.  Where is my faith therefore weak?

Thinking back to another study I had done, I remembered the five-fold pledge of faith I had made.  Starting at number one, I reviewed: “God is who He says He is”.  No problem there, I’m never going back or questioning whether God’s word is true.  I know it is, and this has been proven to me so many times…I am “settled” on that one.  OK, number two: “God can do what He says He can do.”  Yes, I believe this with all my heart, and I’ve seen Him do amazing things—no problem there.  Number three: “I am who God says I am”…..wait…..I began to pray.  “Oh Father, Abba, Daddy, this is the one that gets me every time.  Sometimes I just can’t believe that I am who You say I am!  How can You love me and forgive me so completely that I am accepted in Your perfect holy presence?  How can I ever live up to who Your word says I am in Christ?  How can I…..?”

And then I saw it.

First I have to say that I have driven down this stretch of road many, many times, and it is one of my favorite places.  I happen to love sheep, and it is right next to a sheep pen.  Besides just being cute and cuddly, sheep always remind me of the Good Shepherd and how He cares for us.  Often I have seen the sheep out in the field grazing, sometimes even being led around by a sheepdog.  But until that day, I had never seen a lamb.

I still don’t know for sure if it was real or a vision of some kind.  But what I remember seeing, right at the fence and looking directly at me, was the most perfect white newborn lamb.  Now sheep can be called white, but mostly they are dirty and should really be called off-white or even beige.  This lamb was so white it almost glowed.  It was fluffy and perfect and so white!

Instantly my heart had its answer.  I gasped at the realization and began to weep.  Once again, I received just what I needed.  It was as if He said to me “Child, I know you’re not perfect, and you still struggle and come up short.  But there is One whom I sent, and He is perfect.  He is my perfect Lamb and when you accept Him as your savior, I see you clothed in His perfection.  You are accepted, and you are forgiven because of what He did, not because of what you did or didn’t do.  So remember this and rest in Me.”  My Father had given me this assurance.  It was exactly what I needed, when I needed it, and it came in a way that spoke uniquely to my heart.
 

The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
       slow to anger, abounding in love.

 He will not always accuse,
       nor will he harbor his anger forever;

 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
       or repay us according to our iniquities.

 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
       so great is his love for those who fear him;

 as far as the east is from the west,
       so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

 As a father has compassion on his children,
       so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;

 for he knows how we are formed,
       he remembers that we are dust.

Psalm 103: 8-14