Lost While Found by Lindsey Shoemaker

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” Matthew 18:12ff

    When you boil it down, we are sheep. We are like children that need guidance. That is why God sent his Son to Earth so He could give us examples of how to live by His own life.

    Living in Kuwait provided me with a rare opportunity of being out in the desert the other day. It was very nice. A group of us were on this high canyon wall looking down into the canyon right at sunset when we heard and saw a shepherd calling his flock of sheep in for the evening. Since we were many miles from town and the highway, I could hear him calling in Arabic. His voice was even pleasing to hear which added to this magnificient scene. As the sheep passed by, he would pat and count each one in the same manner as in Matthew:18 12-14. It made me think about that verse. If one sheep didn’t return, the shepherd would have looked for it.

    I thought of Jesus and how he is always checking on us, since we as sheep have a wondering curiosity for this and that (fill in the blank). He knows that as sheep, we can get caught in many traps set by man, or wander into a huge area of sin that has a way out, but can’t find it. So He comes and rescues us if we ask, for you see, He always knows where we are.

    One more thought about sheep that I have learned while in Kuwait. Like Jesus, the shepherd of the sheep knows where his lost sheep are, but sometimes doesn’t rescue them immediately. Why you ask? Well, it depends on the sheep and where it is. Once a sheep is lost, it gets scared easily and runs. Sometimes from the one who can save it and bring it back to safety. If the sheep runs away from the savior, then it is in more jeopardy than it was before. So the shepherd will wait until the sheep is very tired, hungry, and thirsty to retrieve it. In that way, the sheep is more willing to listen and obey the shepherds voice.

    Isn’t this the way we are? Christians know where we are and may try and save us, but we run. We run until our souls are tired, hungry, and thirsty. Don’t think if you’re lost, no one cares — because they do. Could it be you haven’t listened — just like the lost sheep?

    Let me encourage each one of us to call our Shepherd today, tonight and tomorrow so that He can continue to lead us, protect us, and save us. Do it now.

    Lord, thank you for being my Shepherd. For caring about me and tending to my every need. Thank you for watching over me when I go into troubled ways and guiding me out of them. I ask that you continue to guide me and that I might listen to your voice. Thank you for your great sacrifice on the cross of cavalry. In your name I pray. Amen.

HEARTLIGHT^® Magazine is a ministry of loving Christians and the Westover Hills church of Christ.
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Edited by Phil Ware and Paul Lee.
Copyright © 1999, Lindsey Shoemaker. Used by permission.
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