Suzanne was just a toddler. Suddenly Mother missed her. She called and looked through the house but could not find Suzanne. She went outdoors and called again, but there was no answer. So Mother called to the neighborhood children who were playing nearby. She asked if they would help her find her little girl. Soon they were scattered around, looking everywhere outside where a little child might have fallen, but she was nowhere to be found.
Mother finally went back in the house, and there at the top of the stairs stood a tearful Suzanne. When she saw her mommy, Suzanne asked, “Where were you? I couldn’t find you.” Mother asked her the same question as she picked up her little girl and hugged her close. Suzanne did not answer, but as there were some little rolls of dust in Suzanne’s hair, Mother guessed she had fallen asleep on the floor by the bed and rolled under it out of sight. Or maybe she had just crawled under there to hide when she heard the call, thinking, What fun to come out after a while and say, “Here I am!”
This is like the Bible story of the shepherd searching for his lost sheep. He left the other sheep and hunted until he found the lost one. Then he carried it home, rejoicing, and asked his friends to come rejoice with him. Do you know who this Good Shepherd is? He is the Lord Jesus, and He is calling to every boy, girl, man and woman who does not know Him, “Come unto Me ... and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
“Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:7). And there was joy among the children outside when someone shouted, “Suzanne’s been found!”
ML-03/06/2011