“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?” – Luke 15:4
What a comfort and joy it is to have a God Who’s like this! The Creator of the Universe is so concerned, kind, patient, and merciful toward everyone He’s created that He pursues those who are out of fellowship with Him like a shepherd seeking a lost sheep. God doesn’t sit back waiting for people to come to Him. Instead, He sent His Son into this world to redeem people from sin and death and restore them to relationship with Him. Though God is present everywhere, He directs the work of His Spirit in a special way toward the pursuit of the one who’s lost over the 99 who are already saved.
God places a priority on reaching those who are still distant from Him. Though He loves us like His children (because we are), He’s zealous in going after the lost sheep. As followers of Jesus, we must become like that. Though we must love and care for those who are already in the family of God, we must be diligent, energetic, and sacrificially committed to taking the good news of Jesus Christ to those who don’t yet believe. This is an act of love and care that’s rooted in God’s nature.
If you’re a follower of Jesus, it’s easy to get completely consumed by the fellowship, joy, and hard work of caring for those already in the flock. These vital and life-giving matters can easily take all our time and energy. If we let that happen then we fall short of the heart of the Good Shepherd. We must follow His lead and go out after those who’ve fallen away and those who’ve never been part of the flock. We must be diligent in sharing our hope in Christ, going and telling people about Jesus, and making disciples of all nations. Go after the one that’s lost!