"Astray"

"How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?" Matthew 18:12

The other day we talked about how God cares about us each individually- not just the masses. He loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son to come and rescue us because we were all like sheep who have gone astray. (Isaiah 53:6) But in the verse above we see a picture of Jesus who not only came to seek and to save "those" who were lost, but that "one" who had gone astray.

Have you gone astray? Have you left the "flock" that you were once a part of- Jesus' sheep fold? Are you wondering around in the world away from God? Did you once know Him but turned your back on Him and went your own way? Have you forgotten Him? Are you living your life to please yourself instead of to please Him? Are you running from God?

If that is you, He- like the shepherd in the verse- is seeking you out this morning. He is the Good Shepherd who has laid down His life for the sheep, even the stray ones, even the ones who have run away from Him. Let Him find you this morning. Don't keep running. Give up, surrender, don't live your life in rebellion and away from Him any longer. He laid down His life for you, He went looking for you, He will rescue you, He will put you on His shoulders and carry you back home.

Have a great day. Stop going astray, the Good Shepherd is looking for you... let Him find you.