heart hasn’t stopped breaking for them. As
Jesus once said, “What man of you, having
a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them,
does not leave the ninety-nine in the open
country, and go after the one that is lost,
until he finds it? And when he has found it,
he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And
when he comes home, he calls together his
friends and his neighbors, saying to them,
‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep
that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will
be more joy in heaven over one sinner who
repents than over ninety-nine righteous
persons who need no repentance.” (Luke
15:4-7). Our Shepherd fervently loves His
lambs, and He calls for us to care for them,
as He does. Both the sheep who are found,
and those who are still lost. In this exchange
with Peter, Jesus once more reveals His
passion for His lambs and His tender desire
for them to be fed and nurtured.
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus
said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do
you love me more than these?” He said to
him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”
He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to
him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do
you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord;
you know that I love you.” He said to him,
“Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third
time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was grieved because he said to him the
third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to
him, “Lord, you know everything; you know
that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my
sheep. (John 21:15-17)
Our Father loves all of His sheep. But
there is a special urgency in the heart of our
Shepherd, for those sheep who are alone.
Who have wandered away. Who are lost. Do
we love God? Then let us feed His precious
lamb.
Juliane Wiebracht is a homemaker in Longview,
TX who shares God’s love with women who are
incarcerated.
“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he
leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he
finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes
home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice
with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there
will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over
ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”
Luke 15:4-7
14 HimPower May 2018