Luke 15:4-5 NKJV “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

Exodus 28:12 NKJV And you shall put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. So Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders as a memorial.

I’m a retired Coast Guard Officer, and about a year before retirement I strained my shoulder (rotator cuff) while working out. I did some PT and eventually the pain was gone.  However, over the years every now and then it flares up.  Recently, I’ve noticed after a few rough nights of sleep, that my left shoulder was starting to hurt and a few weeks later my right one.  I was walking this morning when the Lord told me that my shoulders were hurting so bad because I continue to place the “weight of the world” on my shoulders, without giving the cares, concerns and worry fully over to Him.  You would figure that it would be great to know that the Lord cares so much and that He would provide this type of guidance, and it really is, what Love He has for me.  Yet, if I’m honest, it hurt.  It was quite painful, because I quote 1 Peter 5:7 (casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you) every single day, and every morning I start the day thanking God for taking these cares, providing me wisdom, giving me favor and supplying all of my needs. So how could I not be giving Him all of these worries and cares.  Shoot, I definitely dont want them so why am I holding on to them Lord?  That was what I asked Him today.

Now with all of that as background why did I choose these two verses?  

1. We have to give up (consent).  Luke 15:4-5 NKJV “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  So while this is a very familiar text, I will never forget when Pastor Joseph Prince taught on what salvation truly is (https://youtu.be/W9AkJsf_cwo?si=GTHKhcAD4tAWiZ5h) and how we really repent.  We have to submit to be carried in other words must we consent.  Consent means to be in agreement; to give permission for something to happen.  We have to give Jesus permission to save us, love us and take all of our worries and cares.  If we don’t consent Jesus will not force Himself on us.  However, if we consent, He will overtake us (Deuteronomy 28:2 NKJV And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God) with his abundant Love, Favor and Protection).  
2. We are already Positioned by our High Priest.  Exodus 28:12 NKJV And you shall put the two stones on the shoulders of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. So Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders as a memorial.  This text is from the old testiment and shines light on the role of the High Priest and the position we are in as God’s sons and daughters.  Jesus is our High Priest and has positioned us righteous, next to the Father in heavenly places.  In that positioning we have freely been made righteous by Jesus’ shed blood, and unable to loose it because we did nothing to earn it.  We are already positioned for success, but we must know that and walk from that success and not to it; from righteousness not trying to go after it.   

Listen if we will consent to be loved and cared for by Jesus; He will overflow us with that Love.  When we know where we are positioned with Christ, we will stop trying to do enough to gain His righteousness, and walk in that righteousness to all of the blessing promised to us (Genesis 28:4 And give you the blessing of Abraham…).