By Toni Ford
I love the story of the lost sheep in Luke 15: 1-7, maybe because I can relate so easily to this story. Like sheep, we have a tendency to go astray and get lost because of our own foolishness. This is why sheep need a shepherd so that the shepherd can find them and restore them back to the flock. The same is true with each one of us. We, too, have been or presently are at a place in our own lives where we are lost and need to be restored. We might need restoration in a relationship, in our work place or with family. Whatever the situation might be, we can trust that if we respond to the Lord’s calling, He will and can restore each one of us.
In Luke 15, Jesus describes a shepherd leading his flock of sheep, and one of them gets lost in the wilderness. The shepherd leaves the other 99 to go find the one lost sheep, and he doesn’t stop searching until the sheep is found. Verses 5-6 say, “And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.”
Two important truths stand out in this story. Notice that the shepherd does not stop searching for the lost sheep until it is found. Once it is found, the shepherd places the sheep on his shoulders to carry it home. Also, when the shepherd returns home, he calls together all his friends and neighbors for a great time of celebration because the lost sheep has been restored.
Jesus shared this story as an example of Himself and how much He loves each one of us. Notice that once the sheep was found, it had to obey and submit by coming to the shepherd and allowing him to carry it on his shoulders. Although the Lord longs to restore us, we too have a part to play in seeing our restoration take place.
Lastly, we see that not only is the sheep glad to be restored back to the flock but the shepherd is rejoicing because one was lost but now is found! This is a beautiful picture of our Lord and how He responds to us when we are lost and need to be restored.
If you would like me to join you in prayer please email me at tonif77@gmail.com and I would love to pray for you.