Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?”
NL Daily Devotion for Friday, March 10, 2023
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Um, no. He doesn’t. Unless the shepherd is God. In fact, any shepherd will tell you there’s no way they’ll leave their entire flock to the whims of the open field and the hazards of wolves and other predators to go find the one who is missing. If they’re lucky, they’ll have a companion who can go find the stray while they stay with the main flock.
Not so with God. Which is not to say that God capriciously leaves most people up to the whims of nature and fate and is only busy with the strays. God can, of course, be in all places at all times, so no one is left alone. But the point is that every single member of the flock is so incredibly precious to God that they have God’s absolute, full attention, and God will do anything to pursue, locate, and reclaim the missing sheep. It doesn’t matter you’ve done. It doesn’t matter who you’ve hurt. It doesn’t matter that every single time you go out into the fields you take off running and disappear all over again. God wants nothing more than to care for your every need and love you even if you can’t love yourself.
It doesn’t make practical sense. But God’s love doesn’t have to. That’s what makes it so transformational.
When have I strayed from God and felt that God sought me in love?
