The Lost Sheep

 “If a man has 100 sheep, but one of the sheep is lost, what will he do? 

He will leave the other 99 sheep on the hill and go look for the lost sheep...

And if he finds the lost sheep, he is happier about that one sheep than about the 99 sheep that were never lost. I can assure you, in the same way your Father in heaven does not want any of these little children to be lost." ~Matthew 18:12-14 (ERV)

THE LOST SHEEP

I sketched the illustration above last night as I meditated on Jesus' parable of the lost sheep. The Bible compares us all to lost sheep that have gone astray and says that is why Christ had to die for our sins. 

Isaiah 53:6 "We had all wandered away like sheep. We had gone our own way. And yet the Lord put all our guilt on him."

In Christ's parable a wayward sheep cuts loose from the fold leaving his 99 fellow sheep behind while he goes out wandering among the dangerous mountains. The Good Shepherd discovers him missing and spares nothing to go and find his lost sheep. He will even risk his own life. Each one of his sheep are very valuable to him. 

Jesus said in the preceding verse "Don't think these children (His own precious lambs) are not important. I tell you that these children have angels in heaven. And those angels are always with my Father in heaven. ~Matthew 18:10

God cherishes each one of us so much that He sent His only Son to die for our sins that we might be saved.

Just like the the little lost lamb in my sketch will surely perish unless the Shepherd rescues it, we will all surely perish unless Christ rescues us from the dangerous place we are in spiritually. We have no hope apart from Him.

Jesus took the punishment we deserved for our sins by suffering and dying for us on the cross. God the Father then raised Him from the dead and and gave all who would believe in Christ as their Savior Christ's perfect righteousness~for He never sinned.

  

God puts His Holy Spirit into new believers to mark them as His very own children and He writes their name in His Lamb's Book of Life. All who's names are recorded there will live forever with God the Father and Jesus their Savior in Heaven for eternity.

Dear Heavenly Father, on this Valentine's Day I pray that You will fill each soul reading this message with a deep awareness of Your immeasurable love for them. May You draw each one closer to Your heart. May they know that they are not insignificant, but are cherished and valued beyond anything they could comprehend.

May they know that there lives are a precious blessing to You and that You have a beautiful purpose planned for them. In Jesus' name. Thank You, Lord. I love You, Amen.

Unto the Least of These, © 2014 Suzanne Davis Harden All Rights Reserved.

Illustration: "The Lost Lamb"~Pen & Ink Sketch by Suzanne Davis Harden~then photographed in Instagram

My sketchbook with the sketch of the Lost Lamb and my favorite multicolored pen.