“What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until He find it?”
Just one sheep! Who would have thought one sheep would be of so much value to the Lord? And yet it is. You would think a rich stockman who had thousands grazing on the hillsides would not miss one sheep. He would not take it to heart if one should fall and die. What would the loss of one sheep be, where thousands remain in safety?
This may be human reasoning, but it is not the thought of Jesus. One sheep—one person—is precious to Him. Yes, every sheep is as precious to Him as if He had no other. Even though it falls into a muddy pit, still it is precious. He will never abandon it.
Deep was the pit in which the sheep lay—filthy the mud which covered and defiled it. But the Shepherd’s love was towards it even in that condition. His love was strong as death and he went into the lowest pit, into darkness for it. Love braved everything, bore everything, to accomplish its rescue from the wolf—the destroyer who waited to devour. Love gave all—even life itself—to satisfy the holiness of God and to save and wash and bring to life and liberty the fallen sheep.
Love has done its job both fully and perfectly! All that is necessary for the poor sheep’s security has been done for it. And who has done this? Jesus who came from heaven to earth to ransom us. For we were all like sheep, going astray, falling into the pit. 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!