Dear Subscriber,
Here is todays daily manna from Peter Pollock:

APRIL 19            
LOST SHEEP

Bible in a Year:  2 Sam 6, 7, 8     Luke  15: 1-10

Scripture:  Luke 15: 4 : “ what man of you , having a hundred sheep , if he loses one  of them , does not  leave the ninety-nine in  the wilderness and go after the one  which is lost until he finds it”

Knowing Jesus is a personal and intimate relationship.  Just like the shepherd knows his sheep, our Lord knows each of us down to the finest detail – even the hairs on our heads.  We can almost count ourselves numbered. We are precious in His sight.  If we get lost we are immediately “missed” and this excellent analogy stresses the deep concern our Lord has for each one of us and our retrieval.  When sheep get lost they do it well and truly!  Separated from the flock they tend to wander aimlessly. Lost sheep bleat continuously; are easily startled by anything that moves and they will continue hurrying on their lost way, even to a point of exhaustion. Sheep just can’t rest when they are isolated from the flock. We are indeed sheep and subject to all those weaknesses!  Maybe we don’t want to get this picture, but in God’s eyes we are like sheep, for the Bible often uses this description. We cannot operate in isolation, we are wanderers and “foolish”, certainly in the things of God, and when in trouble, especially spiritually, we do tend to be illogical, unreasoning, ignorant and willful. Of course we are very reluctant to admit to these things but in uncertainly we often plunge even deeper into the wilderness as emotion and other such driving forces take control. I must say that I have always loved sheep, so I am quite happy with this comparison and I don’t have any problems conceding to all those weaknesses.

Why? Because the good news, is that Jesus really cares for me and that counts more than anything else in this world.  He loves me so much that when I do get separated from the flock, He will come and rescue me. Jesus uses this illustration not only as re-assurance of God’s goodness, grace and mercy to the sheep that has gone astray, but to stress that there is also as much joy when one sinner repents and comes to the saving knowledge of Christ. The shepherd is always out there, seeking the lost sheep, not only the ones who have “backslidden” or have allowed themselves to be become lukewarm, but for those who don’t even know that they have gone astray. God’s interest is in the individual. It all starts there. However hopeless our situations might appear, there is always the Divine Shepherd and of course, there are those angels in heaven who just can’t wait to rejoice over another soul that has been redeemed!