Searching

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and looses one of them..”

(Luke 14:4 -NLT)

“And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost.”

(Luke 19:10 - NLT)

Jesus mission and that of the Father is one of seeking. But how far will he go in such a search. The answer is to any length. His overwhelming desire is to restore us to fellowship, to restore us to relationship, to restore us to blessing, and to restore us to purpose.

The first story in our parable, which reveals the shepherd heart of the Father, shows the great value He places on his wandering children. The Shepherd will stop at nothing in his search for a lost sheep. He will cross any river, climb any mountain or traverse any desert. This is a picture of the heart of Father God towards us – in his longing for our restoration.

In the account of the poor woman who lost a coin, which was part of her marriage dowry, and represented something of her value, we find her eagerly searching in the dust and dirt, no doubt with a heavy heart, longing to restore to its rightful place something that was very precious to her. This also is a picture of the heart of Father God towards us. He is willing to get His hands soiled with the dust and grime of our lives as He stoops down searching for us in the most unlikely places.

Father longs for our restoration, longs to place us in his crown. This is his promise – “The LORD will hold you in his hands for all to see—a splendid crown in the hands of God.” (Isaiah 62: 3 - NLT)

And, nothing brings greater joy to his heart than when a wandering sheep is found, a lost coin restored or a rebellious son returns home.