All the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around Jesus to listen to him. The Pharisees and legal experts were grumbling, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose someone among you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them. Wouldn’t he leave the other ninety-nine in the pasture and search for the lost one until he finds it? And when he finds it, he is thrilled and places it on his shoulders. When he arrives home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Celebrate with me because I’ve found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who changes both heart and life than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to change their hearts and lives. (Luke 15:1-7, CEB)
If you had 100 sheep and you lost one, what would you do?
If these 100 sheep were all you had and they provided for your livelihood, you would probably do as the shepherd in the story and go to find the lost one. You may not just leave the 99 sheep alone in the pasture, but if no one else was around, you might have to do that.
The shepherd here leaves the 99 by themselves, not in a pen or secure, but out in the pasture, and goes to find the lost one. This seems ridiculous until we are the one. The 99 have the others, and the one is alone.
God will never leave us to fend for ourselves and will always come searching for us.
And once we are back, God will throw a party for us!
Know you are never too far gone and God is always looking for you.
aSacredRebel 