The Value of One Lost Sheep
Devotion: Term 4, Week 9
Jesus told of a shepherd with a hundred sheep. When one of them was lost, he left the other ninety-nine in the fold and searched until he found the one lost sheep. Then he put it on his shoulders and rejoiced as he brought it home. Good shepherds don’t care about some of the flock, or most of the flock, but all of the flock. That becomes most evident when one sheep gets lost.
The story is told of a little girl who wandered off into the woods and got lost. As darkness fell, fear clutched her heart. She shrieked and cried until, worn out, she laid down and went to sleep. Her father, his voice husky from shouting her name, had been looking for her for many hours when he found her lying in a grassy area. Crying out to her, he rushed to her side. The little girl woke up, leapt into his arms, hugged him, and said, ‘Daddy, I’m so happy I found you!’
That’s our story. But we don’t find Jesus; He finds us. And He finds us because He is constantly looking for us. Jesus ended His parable in these words: ‘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’ (Luke 15:7 NIV). Every time one lost person is found, heaven celebrates. ‘You mean I matter that much to the Lord?’ Yes. Just as the shepherd left ninety-nine sheep to search for the one that was lost, Jesus loves you and died to save you. So, come to Him today.
SoulFood: Gen 7-9 John 12:37-50 Ps 102:18-28 Pro 30:24-28
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2024
Other Devotions
Devotion – The Value of One Lost Sheep
Jesus told of a shepherd with a hundred sheep. When one of them was lost, he left the other ninety-nine in the fold and searched until he found the one lost sheep. Then he put it on his shoulders and rejoiced as he brought it home. Good shepherds don’t care about some of the flock, or most of the flock, but all of the flock. That becomes most evident when one sheep gets lost.
Devotion – Transformed from Rubbish into Treasure
A Christian leader writes: ‘The Italian violin maker Antonio Stradivari was a poor man. And yet his violins are now the most prized violins ever made because of the rich and resonant sound they produce. The unique sound of a Stradivarius cannot be duplicated. What may surprise you is that these precious instruments were not made from treasured pieces of wood; they were carved from discarded lumber. Because Stradivari couldn’t afford fine materials, he got most of his wood from the dirty harbours where he lived. He would take those waterlogged pieces of wood to his shop, clean them up, and dry them out. Then, from those trashed pieces of lumber, he would create instruments of rare beauty. It has since been discovered that while the wood floated in those dirty harbours, microbes infiltrated the wood and ate out the centres of those cells. This left just a fibrous infrastructure of wood that created resonating chambers for the music. From wood that nobody wanted, Stradivari produced violins that now everybody wants.’
Devotion – Plan for the Best, Be Prepared for the Worst
Unexpected events can knock us off our feet. And while some of us get knocked down and out, others get back up and go on. They refuse to accept defeat as being permanent. They’re like the man who said, ‘I’m never down; I’m either up, or I’m getting up.’ They see everything that happens in life as a learning experience. Losing a loved one is heart breaking, but it can also be a wake-up call to live every day of your life to the fullest. Losing a job can be traumatic, but it can also bring to the surface talents and abilities you never knew you had.