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Christ’s Object Lessons
way back. So with the soul that has wandered away from God; he is
as helpless as the lost sheep, and unless divine love had come to his
rescue he could never find his way to God.
The shepherd who discovers that one of his sheep is missing does
not look carelessly upon the flock that is safely housed, and say, “I
have ninety and nine, and it will cost me too much trouble to go in
search of the straying one. Let him come back, and I will open the
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door of the sheepfold, and let him in.” No; no sooner does the sheep go
astray than the shepherd is filled with grief and anxiety. He counts and
recounts the flock. When he is sure that one sheep is lost, he slumbers
not. He leaves the ninety and nine within the fold, and goes in search
of the straying sheep. The darker and more tempestuous the night and
the more perilous the way, the greater is the shepherd’s anxiety and
the more earnest his search. He makes every effort to find that one lost
sheep.
With what relief he hears in the distance its first faint cry. Following
the sound, he climbs the steepest heights, he goes to the very edge of
the precipice, at the risk of his own life. Thus he searches, while the
cry, growing fainter, tells him that his sheep is ready to die. At last his
effort is rewarded; the lost is found. Then he does not scold it because
it has caused him so much trouble. He does not drive it with a whip.
He does not even try to lead it home. In his joy he takes the trembling
creature upon his shoulders; if it is bruised and wounded, he gathers it
in his arms, pressing it close to his bosom, that the warmth of his own
heart may give it life. With gratitude that his search has not been in
vain, he bears it back to the fold.
Thank God, He has presented to our imagination no picture of a
sorrowful shepherd returning without the sheep. The parable does not
speak of failure but of success and joy in the recovery. Here is the
divine guarantee that not even one of the straying sheep of God’s fold
is overlooked, not one is left unsuccored. Every one that will submit
to be ransomed, Christ will rescue from the pit of corruption and from
the briers of sin.
Desponding soul, take courage, even though you have done
wickedly. Do not think that perhaps God will pardon your trans-
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gressions and permit you to come into His presence. God has made
the first advance. While you were in rebellion against Him, He went
forth to seek you. With the tender heart of the shepherd He left the