#lost sheep

Luke 19:10

"The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them."

Jesus entered the world to save sinners. When we read the Gospel of Luke, we see Jesus reaching out to men and women, young and old, powerful and forgotten, demon possessed, and the sick. He came to save sinners and those who were lost. He came to save you and me.

𝐈𝐟 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬 𝐚 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐩,

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲,

𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐲-𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬

𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟𝐟?

One of the comments said, "I just know He hears 'Abbaaaaaaa'," and that was just too cute to not share 😭

September 28, 2025

*God’s Way Home*

This son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. - Luke 15:24

*Today's Scripture*

Luke 15:11-13, 17-24

*11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.*

*Today's Devotional*

As I drove down the steep ramp into the parking lot, anxiety swept over me. I’d been in this exact place before—and I’d gotten lost that time. But now, as I began to walk to the door near the elevator, a calm feeling filled my heart. I knew the way! I walked through the door and found the set of elevators I was seeking and soon was where I was supposed to be.

My experience in finding my way through the maze of that parking structure reminds me that getting lost can sometimes help us find our way. Because I had gotten lost during my first visit, I recalled what had gone wrong and remembered the door that led to my destination.

There’s great joy in finding our way—something the “lost son” in today’s parable found to be true (Luke 15:24). “When he finally came to his senses” (v. 17 nlt), the wayward young man knew his way back home after having been lost in the world. He recognized all he had left behind and returned home where he received his father’s “love and compassion” (v. 20 nlt). The story says the father was overjoyed to receive his lost son and welcome him back, saying, “This son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found” (v. 24 nlt).

*Reflect & Pray*

How has God shown you where you’re supposed to be? How can you run after His light?

*Compassionate God, please help me turn from the darkness of being lost and return to Your light and love.*

*Today's Insights*

In Luke 15, Jesus tells three parables about something lost—a lost sheep (vv. 1-7), a coin (vv. 8-10), and a son (vv. 11-32). All of us can relate to looking for something valuable that we’ve lost. But the parable of the lost son would’ve been harder for Christ’s audience to understand. A son requesting his inheritance while his father was still living and a father running to welcome him would have disregarded the cultural norms of that time. That’s just the point. God, like the father in the story, is waiting to do the unexpected—to welcome His lost children home.

I wasn't satisfied with the life I thought He had to offer.

I thought He took too long to get me what I wanted.

"He is too slow."

I remember saying that about Him.

But, I regretted ever leaving Him.

Why? I got stuck,

Stuck in an unfamiliar and dangerous territory.

A territory He always kept me from.

Then, I felt the pastures were lovely.

I felt He wanted me to suffer,

Because He would always ignore those lands.

When I ran away,

I went there, to enjoy all He made me miss.

It took me time to realize those lands were The Badlands.

I heard the sounds of wolves, bears and lions approaching.

He was right, that place wasn't good for me.

But, I couldn't find my way out.

As if it wasn't bad enough,

I got caught in a trap, painful.

The end felt closer with every passing second.

Out of nowhere, He appeared.

He saw me.

He looked at me with so much compassion.

My hero ran to me.

I could see the tears that gathered in His eyes.

He was filled with Joy.

He got me out of the trap.

Though it pierced him,

He didn't mind, I was the one on His mind.

He bore me up in His arms,

I never felt safer.

And he took me out, back to the fold.

I was the lost

And rebellious sheep.

But now, I have been found.

THE LOST SHEEP.

In Luke 15, Jesus teaches via three parables. The first of these is what is commonly called "The Parable of The Lost Sheep," found in verses 4-7. 4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

We do not follow anyone because we are good followers. We follow them because we believe them to be a good leader, whether they truly are or not. And many times we tend to change who we are following because we no longer see our leaders as viable, having to search to new ones.

Throughout Bible, Jesus is often referred to as a shepherd, or The Good Shepherd, while we as believers are often referred to the lambs of the Shepherd. Though sheep are actually quite intelligent, they have a propensity to wonder off away from the flock & do their own thing, causing the shepherd to have to recount how many are still in the flock. Jesus will always lead us on a holy, righteous path, a path towards eternal glory, leaving the flock if necessary, to find any sheep that have wondered off. In terms of humanity, many, many, many people have wondered off.