“So Jesus told them this story:  “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?  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.’  In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” – Luke 15:3-7

I had quite a scare last night.  Around 10:30 I thought I heard a strange noise upstairs so I decided to go and check it out.  I looked in my daughter’s room, she was sound asleep.  I looked in my son’s room, and he was not in his bed.  So I began to look for him.  I checked the bathroom, the closet, the toy room – all the usual places.  But he was not to be found.  After about 5 minutes of searching, I became unsettled.  I went downstairs and enlisted the help of my beloved, and we both began to scour the house.  We searched.  We began turning on all the lights and calling his name.  Nothing.  15 minutes passed, and suddenly it became very hard for me to breathe.  My stroll through the house became a frantic run, because there was no sign of him.

Where was he?  What had happened to him?  He couldn’t have gotten outside could he?  My mind began to race.  I thought about calling my neighbors to see if they had seen him.  I didn’t care if I looked foolish.  His safety was my only concern.

Long story short, we found him.  Wrapped in a blanket, covered in stuffed animals, we found him underneath his sister’s bed.  We dragged him out, uncovered and unrolled him, and he never woke up.  And this morning, my precious baby had no recollection of leaving his bed or being returned to it.  WHEW!!

As I reflect on my reaction to his being missing, it occurs to me:  Do you think this is how God feels when one of us has wandered off from Him?  I mean, I know He still sees us, but do you think He goes to great lengths to draw us back to Him?  I do.  I am living proof of the extent He will go to in order to bring someone back into relationship with Himself.

I think, like me, He will use anyone He can to “find” someone and bring them home.  Maybe even you or me.

I pray that as we begin registering for the Magic City Miracle, that we will also begin praying and asking God to use us to reach the lost and the hurting.  After all, they are his sheep too.

Good Shepherd,

How thankful I am that You have always come looking for me when I have strayed too far away.  You have given me the privilege of being your hands and feet in this world.  Please give me the opportunities to point people toward You, and the boldness to speak in those instances.  

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen