Jesus People: Fight for RelationshipParaugs

For the One

I love how the parable of the lost sheep paints such a beautiful picture of God’s heart to search for us sinners.

What’s so difficult for us to wrap our minds around in this scenario isn’t that the shepherd would go after his lost sheep, but that he would leave the 99 others to go after the 1 sheep that is lost. He’s got plenty of sheep, right? You wouldn’t think that the one would be missed or even noticed.

What’s true of a sheep when it goes astray is that it would never be able to find its way back unless the shepherd were to search out the sheep and bring it back to safety.

This is a big deal because Jesus is conveying the message that God actively seeks out, searches, chases down those who are lost to bring them back home. This is His heart for us sinners. He chooses us even when we do not choose Him. He runs after us even when we run away from Him.

When Jesus, our Shepherd, finds His people, He carries them and He rejoices that the lost is now found!

And if this is what He models for us–how He is for the one. He chases after the one. He searches until He finds the one. He rejoices when He brings home the one. Then we, as Jesus People, should be for the one, too.

At some point, you were that one lost sheep. Maybe you are the lost one today that God is chasing after and calling back to Him. Or today, you need to go find your one – someone in your life who is lost, dabbling with sin, on a path of destruction, and has no way back home on their own.

Jesus People chase after the one until there is no one. Who is your “one”? Who do you need to chase after to have a conversation with about Jesus? Who do you need to call? Who do you need to pursue? Who do you need to open up your home to? Who do you need to ask the tough questions to?

Pray: Thank God that he came after you when you were “the one.” Ask Him who needs to be your “one” that you chase down and point to Jesus!