Apples of Gold

If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? And If he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish. Matthew 18:12-14 

2026 has been a very long year, and it isn’t even September yet! For our family it has been a season with some upheaval and a whole bunch of uncertainty, mixed with a few splashes of disappointment and confusion. The pleasant and exciting moments have been there as well. Watching our grandson grow from an infant to a one year old bundles of giggles and seemingly endless energy has certainly been one of the highlights! 

During this time I have found my usual routine disrupted, no, more accurately, decimated. My time with the Lord has not escaped these changes unscathed. Between issues with focus, the tyranny of the urgent, and a schedule that feels more like an hourly random door prize drawing than a well thought out plan, I have faced more than one moment that left me feeling stuck in the mud. 

As I sat in my office Sunday morning, I found my gaze drawn to a picture hanging on my wall. It is a picture portraying a lost lamb who had wandered off and found itself in a mess. In the background Jesus is running with arms outstretched, ardently pursuing the stubborn lamb. 

The artist captured the heart of a loving Shepherd, concerned for his lamb. There was no trace of anger or frustration. The only goal was to get to that lamb and rescue them from their self-inflicted plight and return them safely to the flock.

We often view this parable as a story of an unsaved individual. This story tells of a sheep that already belonged to the shepherd. It was one of his, and for whatever reason wandered away from the safety of the flock. 

While most of us would never walk away from our relationship with the Lord, we can find ourselves moving out of close proximity during times of struggle when we find ourselves overwhelmed. 

Perhaps we have decided God is taking a little bit too long to answer our cries and he needs our assistance. Our attempts to “help him along” often backfire and we realize, although our intentions were pure, we have wandered from the safety of the sheepfold. 

Seasons of monotony can also cause us to wander. It can be very difficult to sit still and wait for God when it seems like nothing is happening, and yet that is often just what we are supposed to do.

Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world. The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. Psalm 46:10-11

I’m a fixer. My mind is always looking for answers and solutions. Contingency plans abound, ready to be implemented at a moment’s notice! Those of us who are designed this way might have more difficulty sitting still than others. 

I can relate to feeling like this:

O LORD, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand? Psalm 13:1-2

So admittedly, I am likely often my own worst enemy, but the “How long will you forget me? Forever?” part rings pretty true. 

Feelings are notoriously unreliable but, nevertheless, they can pack quite a wallop. Many of us view our standing before the Lord with a highly critical approach.

When we get a little mud on our feet or a few burrs in our coat we expect a harsh response from our Shepherd, even after we have admitted our folly and asked for mercy. 

When I am the One in need of the shepherd’s crook I am so thankful that his goodness is running after me. 

If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is. 2 Timothy 2:13

It is a good thing, a necessary thing, that God’s faithfulness and not my own, is the foundation of my salvation. Paul puts it this way:

My Grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

If you find yourself being the One in need of rescue, you can be assured that your Shepherd is pursuing you with eyes of love and a heart seeking healing and restoration.

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:16