God’s Pursuit Of You
Friday, February 20
Luke 15:4 (KJV)
“What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?”
Devotion
Sheep have several traits that make them prone to wandering. A poor sense of direction makes them easily disoriented. Once they’re grazing with their head down, they may slowly wander from the flock without realizing it. And if there’s greener grass that leads away from where they are, they’ll follow it one step after another until they’re alone. Once separated from the flock, fear can cause them to freeze or hide rather than return. Interestingly, something very similar happened to Adam after he disobeyed – he became fearful and hid (Genesis 3:8-10). Once alone, sheep are particularly exposed to predators and natural risks in the terrain like cliffs, ravines, etc.
As you’re reading this, you might recognize that people, even we as Christians, can have similar patterns. A slow fade from God by small compromises. Distractions of “greener grass.” Becoming isolated from the community. Jesus uses sheep as a picture of people on purpose. Isaiah 53:6 says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray; each of us has turned to our own way.”
Unlike other animals God made, sheep aren’t particularly known for finding their way back home. Once lost, they often need to be found.
Salvation, Jesus is saying, is not the lost sheep returning home, but rather the shepherd pursuing it. The lost sheep doesn’t contribute anything to its rescue. The shepherd finds it. And when he does, “he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’” (Luke 15:5-6)
This concept deepens when we consider that God is often described as a shepherd in the Old Testament. Psalm 23:1 says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” And in Ezekiel 34:15-16, God says, “I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down…I will search for the lost…I will shepherd the flock with justice.”
In John 10, Jesus implicitly claims to be the fulfillment of that promise. He says in verse 11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” And again in John 10:14-15, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
While Luke 15 speaks to the effort God puts in to find and save us while we are lost, John 10 reveals what it cost – the ultimate price.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Today's Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for making a way possible for us to have access to You through prayer. I know that it cost You a great price. I treasure my time with You in prayer and bring my requests to You because I trust in You. Thank You, Heavenly Father. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Apply It Today
Prayer is our connection to God. As today’s verse explains, the Good Shepherd will leave the ninety-nine to go after the one. We are that precious to Him. He is excited to hear our prayers so He can move personally in every detail of our lives. Come often to share your heart with Him.
Resources
- If you’ve ever felt protected, guided, or carried through something you shouldn’t have survived… this is for you. Watch “God Kept You.”
- Make this your daily declaration; I am pursued by God’s love, and He delights in redeeming me.