Matthew 18:12: “If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders off, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine and go after the one?”
Another sheep story. It may be hard for us to relate to shepherds in this day and age but the massage is clear. There are things we love so dearly that we would risk the safety and comfort of the rest of our lives in order to pursue their welfare. If you have children this is a no-brainer. Parents regularly set aside the maintenance of daily life to tend to the problems and pains of a child in need. There are two implications here. First, God loves and seeks us out in this way while we are lost and wandering away from God. Even when the world feels like a cold and heartless place, God is calling us into God’s care. The second implication is that God is doing the same thing for those around us. God’s heart goes out to them no matter what our assessment of them may be. In fact, we even get to be junior shepherds, God’s agents to show the way back to the flock. Where are you this week? Do you need to listen for the voice of love calling you back? Do you need to be the voice of love for someone else? As the Psalm says, “The Lord is my shepherd.”
Don
Logan Memorial Presbyterian Church 