Luke 15:4 “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
The Gospel text we read today at its heart, is one that highlights the earnest desire of God to locate every single one of us, however far we have strayed to bring us back to his fold. It is an expression of His love.
But in our discourse today, let’s look at the parable perhaps, literally, with implications for our practical living. Unless the 99 sheep were left in the care of another shepherd, we can infer that they would have been left on their own in the field: exposed to thieves, the elements and to prey. So in simple terms, 99 sheep were risked for one.
Certainly, having a full house is ideal because one missing piece is still required to complete a puzzle. However, many of us in life have left 99 to find one. We go seeking for new relationships because one thing is missing from the current; couples keep pursuing children of specific gender when their table is surrounded by another; life changing opportunities are left abandoned or mismanaged in the search for one big chance.
The core of our discourse today is ‘Contentment with the 99′ . We can easily miss out on the many joys in life we have while pursuing one thing we don’t have. Remember, when Paul was told’ my grace is sufficient for you?’ He could have spent the rest of his life asking for removal of that thorn in his side, but was given grace to move on after three times of asking.
Let’s not become men and women who lose sight of present blessing in anticipation of what is to come. Let us be thankful for, and celebrate the 99 we have now and not lose them in seeking for one more.
#sly
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