Astray

 ‭Matthew‬ ‭18:12‬ ‭ESV‬
What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?

https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.18.12.ESV

Most of us aren't shepherds, or from an agricultural society, so maybe we struggle to relate to this story. Wouldn't the shepherd just count his blessings and entrust the lost sheep to God's care? Thankfully, God isn't like we might be tempted to be.

It might not seem to make sound economic sense for the shepherd to pursue the lost sheep, but that's what God does with us. He could rightfully consign us all to hell for going astray from Him. Yet the Lord had laid on Christ the sinful stains of us all.

Biblically, the Lord our Shepherd doesn't just seek after us, He dies for us. We deserve hell, and satan knows it. Yet by His death Jesus has sealed our redemption.

Jesus didn't come to call the righteous. He didn't come for religious people. He came for sinners like you and I. Rebels like us need to surrender and cry out to Him for mercy.

'Lord, have mercy upon us, sinners that we are. In the mighty name of Jesus we pray, amen'

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