Shepherding a Couple

Yesterday, the trainees brought a couple whom they met in their gospel propagation. As I fellowshipped with them I asked them to introduce themselves and speak whatever they feel like speaking. In this way, I was opening up their being to get to know better. As the sister was sharing her life history, how she served as a missionary a few years ago and had done her theology and is now in Gurugram looking for a job, drifting away from what she used to do before, I had a strong feeling to shepherd her and her friend with the parable of the prodigal son. 

By the way, I freshly enjoyed this parable as I used this parable to share on the loving Father in a gospel meeting just before they came to meet me. I fellowshipped with them from Luke 15: 20-24

And he rose up and came to his own father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and he ran and fell on his neck and kissed him affectionately. And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his slaves, Bring out quickly the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fattened calf; slaughter it, and let us eat and be merry, because this son of mine was dead and lives again; he was lost and has been found. And they began to be merry. And they began to be merry.

As I fellowshipped on how we were all lost in sin in the world like the prodigal son, in spite of the fact that we are already children of God, the sister was so moved. He was so hungry for spiritual food and received every word I had to minister to them. She even made a video recording on her mobile, which I did not mind, of most of the sharing I had with her and her friend. Because of her seeking heart and hunger for the word, she just drew the word of God out of my being. I could spontaneously flow out the living word as food supply.

Some key points I emphasized were the loving Father's heart towards His children, no matter what His children's situation may be. He just loved them and did not expect anything except their being recovered back from their wandering. I emphasized mostly on the spiritual significances of the best robe, Christ as our righteousness; the ring, the sealing Spirit that restores us as God's own; the sandal, that separates and sanctifies us from the world; and the fattened calf, that fed us with Himself as food for our life and life supply. 

Then, I connected the fattened calf with Christ as food revealed in the gospel of John 6; the Lord as the Bread sent from heaven, the living Bread, the true Bread, the Bread of Life, and the Bread that we must eat; who is Spirit and Life (vv. 32-35, 48-51, 57, 63). A trainee sister also shared her testimony of salvation. After all the sweet and wonderful fellowship we all prayed together. I gifted them the Shepherding Materials in English for the weekly Friday home meeting. 

The fellowship was such a joy and life supply to me as well. As I shared the word, I myself felt the strong life supply to me personally and to the rest of the people present in the fellowship. It was indeed a mutual shepherding. The saints and the new ones were nourished and I was nourished too. I do believe the Lord will continue to preserve them and keep them open for the weekly home meeting and be ushered into the church life.

The same message was also spoken in the gospel meeting of the young people where I gave the concluding word after the young brothers sharing the gospel message. It was indeed the Lord's timely speaking. I too am one of the prodigal sons who came back to the loving Father and whom the loving Father has gracious restored and recovered.

Praise the Lord for our loving Father! May the Lord continue to shepherd them and fully recover them for His testimony.