This picture tells a story.
At NTS Camp, one of the speakers gave a PERFECT visual of our Father that I will never forget.
A Shepherd cares so much for his sheep. He will wake early in the morning and will fall into slumber at night after making sure that every sheep is accounted for.
EVERY SHEEP
Baby lambs are prone to wandering. The shepherd upon finding his beloved lamb missing will search high and low until the babe is found. And when found, he places the lamb on his chest and carries him back to the herd.
This picture tells the story of the great love that the shepherd has for the lamb.
Jesus tells a parable in Luke 15, which brings this to life for us:
4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 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.
There are a couple of things to take note of in this parable:
The shepherd “joyfully” lifts the sheep.
The shepherd “rejoices” that He has found his sheep.
Now, notice the peace on the face of the lamb in this picture.
Imagine the rejoicing, which takes place in Heaven when we find salvation! When we choose Him! If the shepherd rejoices upon finding the lamb, our Father rejoices that much more!
God created each of us in His Image. He created us for relationship with Him. And while many of us turn away from Him, He is never far away. Jesus tells Zacchaeus in Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
I was one of these precious “lost” sheep. I remember the day I chose to turn away from God like it was yesterday. Forever burned in my mind, I sat in a church pew and decided that I knew how to do life better than the One who created it. And my Father, the gentleman that He is, allowed me the chance to try. The years to follow would be lonely and dark, my “dark nights of the soul” as some call them.
The day that the Light entered in, my heart was awakened to the love of my Shepherd. The One who rejoices when even ONE lost sheep is found. He would pick me up, dust me off and remind me of the great LOVE shed for me at The Cross. He would redeem all that was lost in my life and replace my fear with FAITH and my hopelessness with HOPE.
His peace is mine.
Are you lost?
Do you know the Shepherd of your heart?
Do you know Jesus?
Father, thank You for never giving up on Your creation. Thank You for wooing us, pursuing us and turning the light on in our hearts to Your great love. Father, I pray for the ONE, the ONE who is lost in the dark night of his/her soul. Father, please shine Your Light in these dark places and save those, which are lost. Place them on Your Heart and write their names on Your Hand.
We Love You
Your thankful daughter
AMEN