THE LOST LAMB

 

Luke 15:3-5 (NIV) Then Jesus told them this parable: Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. 

 

Just imagine keeping up with 100 sheep. I think I would have a hard time keeping up with 10, especially little rambunctious lambs! In the above passage from Luke, we can see a shepherd whose little lamb has wandered away from the fold and how he leaves his 99 sheep just to find it.     

 

When I was growing up, I can remember seeing a picture of the Good Shepherd leaning over an embankment gently reaching for a little lamb caught in a thicket. Now that I’m older, I can appreciate that scene because I see how that it relates to the Good Shepherd caring for His people, the sheep of His pasture (Ps. 100:3).

 

I can let my imagination run wild as I think about that scene. Imagine with me, the Good Shepherd tirelessly looking and calling for a little lamb. He knows that it is imperative to find it quickly due to impending danger and being away from the safety of His care. Imagine when He finds it, the Good Shepherd is patient, realizing that the lamb is frightened as it hangs in the thicket in pain. The Shepherd would never speak harshly to the lamb, realizing it had been through enough already. I’m sure the Good Shepherd would reach for it tenderly knowing that He might injure it further. I can hear Him speaking in soft, comforting tones as He lifts it from the prickly thistles and onto His welcoming shoulder. The Good Shepherd would consider the little lamb’s feet knowing that they would be torn and bleeding so He would never make it walk home. As they return to the safety of the fold, the Good Shepherd would rejoice because the little lamb that was once lost has now been found.

 

Isn’t that just like us when we’ve strayed too far away from the fold and the care of the Good Shepherd? We can stray and get too close to the enemy’s camp, which is a dangerous place for sheep to go. We can get there without even realizing it and is something we need to guard against. It’s a dark and crooked road in getting there and a road that we’re warned about in Scripture because it leads to destruction (Mt. 7:13). That road can seem pretty glitzy in the beginning, but in the end only leads to death (Rom. 6:23).

 

The enemy of our souls will do his best to steal, kill and destroy us (John 10:10), but as long as we stay near our Good Shepherd, we will be safe and protected. As long as we stay on the straight and narrow path, we will be guided and directed. The Apostle Peter said that our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour (I Pet.5:8). We must be careful not to go near the enemy’s camp or even get close enough to smell the smoke from his campfire! Take heed and stay near the safety of the Good Shepherd.

 

There are many Scripture references to God’s people being sheep and Him as our shepherd. The Psalmist David said, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want (Ps. 23:1).” What a comfort to know that Jesus is our Good Shepherd and that He makes us lie down in comforting green pastures and leads us beside still waters (Ps. 23:2).

 

Isaiah 40:11 says: “He tends His flock like a shepherd. He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to his heart; He gently leads those that have young.” That sounds to me like a shepherd who really cares about His sheep. I love the thought that He cuddles His lambs up close to His heart. Notice the phrase, “He gently leads. . .” That means He is not pushing and driving us, but leading instead.

 

Another thing I want us to consider is that Jesus has compassion on His people, the sheep of His pasture. At one point in Matthew, we can even see where: “He had compassion on the crowds because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” If we’ve strayed, He has compassion on us. He never yells asking, “Where have you been?” But He rejoices when we decide to come to Him because He loves us dearly. All that we need to do is to repent and be made whole. We’ll be safe because we’ll be back in the fold with the Good Shepherd looking after us.

 

There’s help and there’s hope for those who stray. Psalm 23:3 tells us that our Good Shepherd restores our souls. The good news is that the Restorer never goes off duty and is willing and able to bring us up from the prickly thicket we may have fallen into.

 

When we’ve strayed, God knows that we may be beaten and maimed from the rocky road we have traveled. He knows that we may have been burned by the circumstances we’ve endured and by being too close to the enemy’s campfire. But He tenderly calls for His lambs by name to come back and take hold of His hand. Is He is calling your name today? If He is, take hold of His strong hand and He will welcome you back to the fold and all of Heaven will rejoice.

 

I’ve been in that prickly bush before and it was a miserable place to be, but it was a welcoming touch to have the Good Shepherd tenderly pick me up and place me gently close to His heart. Oh yes, I was that little lost straying lamb, helpless and hurting, wandering about in the darkness. But my Savior came by one day and pulled me out, cleaned me up, restored me and set my feet on a rock. I praise God that He never gave up on me! I can rejoice today, singing songs of praise to the One who kept calling for me by name. Then on the Resurrection Morning when He calls me home, I’ll be glad and will say, “Here I am!”

 

Psalm 4:26-27 (NKJV) Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil.

 

Prayer:

Father, I thank You that You are indeed our Good Shepherd, who gently leads and cares for us. Where would we be without You! I praise Your name because of who You are and that You love us. I pray for every reader today that You will bless and help them. Some have been bruised and battered and need some special cuddling today Lord. Sometimes we get sidetracked and get away from the safety of Your care. We can come to You and You will gladly take us back and rejoice when we do. Thank You Father that we have You to turn to in our times of need. Help us Lord to always stay close to You, the Good Shepherd who loves us. In Your Son’s name. Amen.