One sheep! Who would have thought one sheep could be of so much value in the eyes of our Lord Jesus Christ? And yet it is. A rich proprietor, you would say, who had thousands grazing on the mountain side, would not miss one sheep. He would not take it much to heart if one should fall and perish. What would the loss of one sheep be, where countless multitudes remain in safety?
Such may be the reasoning of man, but it is not the thought of Jesus. One sheep is precious to Him—aye, every sheep, as much so as if He had no other. Even though it fall into a pit, still it is precious. He will not abandon it. Surely He will lay hold of it, and lift it out.
Deep was the pit in which it lay by nature—filthy the mire which covered and defiled it (Psa. 51:55Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. (Psalm 51:5)), but the shepherd's love was towards it even then. Love that was strong as death, love that sought its object in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deep. Love that braved everything to work its rescue from the jaws of the destroyers—from the wolf that waited to devour. Love that gave all it could give—life itself—to satisfy the holiness of God—to break the adversary's power—to save, and wash, and bring to light and liberty the fallen, sunken sheep.
How well that love has done its task—most perfectly—most fully! All that was necessary to the poor sheep's blessing—all that was needful for its everlasting security has been accomplished for it. God has been glorified in its recovery. And who has done this? Jesus. He who came from heaven to earth to ransom us. For we were as that sheep: going astray, fallen into the pit of mire. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, was the only one who could seek and save such as we were. And He did.
He took me out of the pit and from the miry clay,
He set my feet on the rock, establishing my way;
He put a song in my mouth, my God to glorify,
And He'll take me some day to my home on high.