The following is taken straight from my journal as I meditated and interacted with a passage from the book of Luke as Jesus speaks about the parable of the lost sheep.

Luke 15:3-7

³So he told them this parable: ⁴ “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? ⁵And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ ⁷Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. 

That single lost sheep is valuable to the shepherd. That one sheep is worth leaving the heard to climb up rocky side paths on the hillside; searching high and crawling under the brush searching low for the missing one. The shepherd will not stand to leave that one sheep to weather the elements alone — the rainstorm on the horizon or the wolf tracking its scent. No, the shepherd looks until he finds that one, wayward sheep.

 

As a follower of Jesus — as one part of His flock — I often stray from the herd and from the protection of my Shepherd’s hand. Enticed by my girlfriends gossiping over lunch, I slowly creep out of the safety of the herd. Entranced by the alluring tub of ice cream after a stressful day, a binge session drives me even farther from Jesus.

 

We are all sheep at risk of pulling away from the flock. We are all, at some point, going to need Jesus to come search us out and bring us back to safety.

 

It warms my heart thinking about the Shepherd, upon finding the wayward sheep, laying it on his shoulders and rejoicing as he brings it back to the herd. Jesus doesn’t scold or yell or rehash ever last detail of my recent misgivings. Instead, He rejoices. With gladness, Jesus hoists the weak, lost-now-found sheep on His shoulders and bares the load of sin and disobedience for the sheep is too weak to come back to the Shepherd on its own.

 

This tells me that Jesus is not put off by my sin and messiness. Along with His forgiveness, though, Jesus requires that I turn away from that which drew me away from His flock and back to His protection and love. I must not take that dangerous side path away from Him to fulfill a sinful curiosity. I must not succumb to my own wayward desires and navigate the dangerous terrain outside of the Shepherd’s protection. Though I know He will come to find me, I should not knowingly stray from the flock.

 

I love how the Shepherd rejoices and makes a big deal over the coming home of the sheep gone astray. Verse 7 says the Shepherd rejoices and throws a party, inviting all His friends. There really is a party in heaven when I return back to my Shepherd — imagine the sound of angel’s songs celebrating the lost being found. All of this trouble and hoopla because that lost sheep (even me!) are deemed worthy by the great Shepherd.

 

~This passage spoke deeply to me as I scribbled on my notebook. Tomorrow I will continue digging into this passage and the need to stay with the flock. How do we NOT go astray.

 

In the meantime, check out this week’s She Seeks inspirational entry: How Honest is Too Honest? She Seeks is a special website just for twentysomething women. I would love for you to click on over there!