Luke 15:4
"Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?"
A few years ago I started doing something because I have a horrible memory. I started carrying around my keys, wallet and cell phone and anytime I would put them down I would always put them down together. I did this because I knew that I couldn't go anywhere without my keys and as long as my wallet and phone were with my keys than I would never risk the chance of losing them. God help me if I ever misplace my keys.
I want to give you all some freedom right now. If you are reading this and you are like me I am going to give you the freedom to admit that you flip your lid if you lose something. If you lose your keys or your wallet or even some piece of paper that holds value. Some of you right now are reading this and raising your hand where you're sitting because you know that's you. WE ALL hate to lose things, and furthermore it's in our very nature to tear things apart until we find them. Do a little experiment with yourself next time you lose something. Don't see what you will do to find that item, see what gets broken in the process of trying to find it. Notice the chaos and disorder that ensues to find that item. In fact I'll go as far as to say that you will probably lose something else in the process of trying to find the first item.
It's amazing the lengths that we will go to in order to find something we've lost. We will invest our time, efforts and most importantly our heart in order to find it. And this usually involves something as simple as our keys or TV remote. God forbid we lost the TV remote.
In the Luke story Jesus is addressing the pharisees when he asks them a very simple question about going after lost sheep. He asks them wouldn't it be worth it to go after just one lost sheep? Jesus knows that this means leaving the other ninety nine behind but wouldn't it be worth it to find just one LOST sheep? In fact, Jesus wants to know, isn't it worth it to celebrate it when you find that one lost sheep?
Jesus knew what it meant to know something is lost. He pursued the lost with every thing he had, including his very life. He did what ever it took to make sure every lost sheep had a chance to come home. Everyone that we come into contact with matters to the Father. Every single person means so much to the Lord. He gave His son to prove how much each and every lost sheep matters.
Think about the amount of heart we will put into the finding of our car keys. Think about how much you want to find your TV remote when it's lost. Imagine how many people would come to know Jesus if our hearts bled for the lost sheep like Jesus wants for them to. We should be doing everything in our power to make sure that not one sheep, NOT ONE goes lost.
John 3:16, one of the most popular Bible verses, says "For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son...". God's heart is for this world. God's heart is for the lost, those far from Him. He wants to use us reach the lost. My challenge for you, my challenge for myself is that we would have a heart that wants to make sure that not one lost sheep stays far from the Father. NOT ONE!!!!!! Pursue the lost with the heart to reach them for Jesus. Not to prove that we are right and they are wrong, but a heart that truly wants them to experience the warm tender embrace of a Father's grace. Don't leave the lost sheep out in the wilderness.
Thought question:
Who has God put into your life that is far from Him? What would pursuing them with love look like in your life?
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