One Lost Lamb

        It's never fun when you lose something, especially an animal.  We have had a couple of animals during our past twenty years, usually consisting of a cat.  Our first cat was with us for a long time and finally passed on due to old age.  That was also true of our second cat which again, just passed away because of old age.  Then, we got a kitten which was far more animated than anything we had before.  Not too long ago, it was time for the kitten's annual checkup at the vet and so we loaded it up in a cat transporter and headed for the car.  The cat pushed the door open and was last seen flying down the road, never to be seen again, so far.  For the next month, we did about everything we could think of in order to find the lost pet but she could not be found.  We put up posters, scoured the neighborhood and reported it to animal shelters in our area but so far, she is still lost.  Matthew 18:12 says, " How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?" 
       God has used the account of the lost sheep to make a strong point.  God doesn't give up on us and the call keep coming forth from the Shepherd Who is looking for His lost sheep.  In the account, we naturally see that we have a lot of similar characteristics to a sheep and if it were not for the Great Shepherd, we would find ourselves in many dangers.  We are prone to wandering, we are continually the prey of wild animals, we get cast down on a regular basis and the grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence.  It is comforting to us to notice the characteristics of the Great Shepherd.  He will look for the lost sheep even though He still has ninety nine other sheep in the flock.  The Great Shepherd doesn't tire in His search or His work in getting the sheep back to the flock and doing what is best for the lamb.  The account in Matthew points out that the Shepherd will go search for the sheep even into the mountains.  I have seen so many churches where one lamb will go astray and it seems as if the whole church, or the rest of the flock, say to themselves, "Oh, well.  It's just one more sheep and we still have 82 other sheep to take care of so let it go."  God never says to "let it go."  Every lamb is important in God's flock.  Unfortunately, there are some under-shepherds who think differently.  So, Praise God today for the fact that He seeks and saves that which is lost.  There is a saying,  The one lost lamb is important when that lamb is you.