Found and restored ∙∙
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? – Luke 15:4
Deuteronomy 8:2-5
2 You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
3 He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.
5 Thus, you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.
The story is told of a young couple on their honeymoon. They chose a resort with a large harbor connected to the Atlantic Ocean. The guy, being a guy, was eager for adventure and decided to sail a sailboat despite never having done so before, but how hard could it be? Confident from his Boy Scout days and his reading about sailing, he set off with his new wife, the wind filling their sails. Within minutes, they found themselves a mile or two from shore, heading straight into the vast Atlantic.
When he decided it was time to turn back, he realized the wind was now behind them, pushing them further out to sea. Panic set in as they had no radio, food, or drinking water. Turning the boat around directly into the wind was futile. Did I mention he had read books and easily recalled diagrams? He remembered a diagram about tacking from his readings.
In sailing, boats cannot move directly into the wind. Instead, they use a maneuver known as tacking, which involves zigzagging at an angle toward the wind. After an hour and a half of careful tacking, they safely returned to the marina.
This story mirrors how people often feel lost in the Scriptures, wandering through life’s wildernesses. The wilderness is harsh by nature, but it is a familiar place for those who follow the King. It is where we learn to rely on His strength, endure, and overcome. Our faith is tested and strengthened, and we find reassurance in His presence.
He uses the wilderness experiences to prepare individuals for the work He has planned for them, just as He did with David, Paul, Abraham, Moses, and many others.
After Moses killed the Egyptian, he found himself in the wilderness. His physical and emotional journey is immortalized in Cecil B. DeMille’s film, “The Ten Commandments.”
Into the blistering wilderness of Shur, the man who walked with kings . . . now walks alone.
Torn from the pinnacle of royal power, stripped of all rank and earthly wealth, a forsaken man without a country, without a hope, his soul in turmoil like the hot winds and raging sands that lash him with the fury of a taskmaster’s whip. He is driven forward, always forward, by a god unknown, toward a land unseen . . ..
He cannot cool the burning kiss of thirst upon his lips nor shade the scorching fury of the sun. All about is desolation. He can neither bless nor curse the power that moves him, for he does not know where it comes.
Learning that it can be more terrible to live than to die, he is driven onward through the burning crucible of the desert, where holy men and prophets are cleansed and purged for God’s great purpose until, at last, at the end of human strength, beaten into the dust from which he came. The metal is ready for the Maker’s hand.
REFLECT & PRAY
Even when we are lost, we are never truly alone. Our Shepherd King is there to rescue us.
Father, thank you for loving me. When I wander in the wilderness, please encourage me to remember that I am never alone. You seek me, and you find me.
INSIGHT
However, there is a charming aspect to being lost in the wilderness, especially if you’re a sheep. Sheep tend to wander off. When intelligence was being distributed, sheep were at the back of the line. By the time they reached the front, there was barely any intelligence left, with the Father having only half a tablespoon left. Therefore, sheep are not the brightest of creatures and are in desperate need of a shepherd (1 Peter 2:25).
Luke 15:4-7
4 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?
5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.
6 When he arrives, he will call his friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
7 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!
When a sheep is lost, it faces significant danger. Sheep are utterly helpless and defenseless, and each one holds a special place in the shepherd’s heart. Good shepherds always seek out what is lost. Their sense of responsibility and commitment is driven by deep love and devotion for each individual sheep.
Sheep become lost when shepherds fail to fulfill their duties. Often, this failure stems from greed and selfishness. These negligent shepherds not only neglect the sheep but exploit them for personal gain, causing considerable harm (Ezekiel 34:1-10). Such was the case with the failed shepherds of Israel, whose abuse of the people was both widespread and systematic.
However, our Shepherd King promises to undo the damage and set things right.
Ezekiel 34:11-16
11 For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search and find my sheep.
12 I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day.
13 I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them in the mountains of Israel, by the rivers, and in all the places where people live.
14 Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There, they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills.
15 I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign LORD.
16 I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes – feed them justice!
He comes as the Good Shepherd to intervene and rectify the damage. He pledges to reverse the harm caused by the failed shepherds systematically, step by step. He seeks out the scattered, gathers them, and feeds them. He protects them, offering safety and security. He serves as their Shepherd King (ESV notes).
As children of the King, we have in the Lord Jesus Christ the greatest of all shepherds and guardians.
John 10:14 I am the good shepherd.
As human sheep, we become “lost” when we are abused and neglected instead of cared for. This leads to serious emotional scars and wounded hearts. The good shepherd comes to make things right. As we permit Him, the Lord Jesus Christ carefully and tenderly undoes all the harm inflicted upon us. The Shepherd finds and restores His sheep with great joy.
Instead of playing hide and seek, His love should inspire us to play found and restored.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯12-09-2
© Dr. H 2024
Dr H Reflections 