Lord, I BelieveSample

I believe . . . Jesus seeks the wandering

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?

Matthew 18:12

Muffy was a runner.

The lady at the shelter had warned Matt when he picked her out of a host of dogs needing homes.

“Her previous owner turned her in because he tired of chasing her all over town,” she said. “She also has a fondness for chewing things. She’s afraid of thunder, and, well, we’re working on housebreaking.”

Matt looked at Muffy. Muffy looked at Matt. One of her ears stood up while the other flopped. Her wiry coat was an odd mixture of grey, brown, and black, and the tip of her tail bent at an awkward angle. As he watched, she gnawed a barof her crate.

“I’ll take her.”

The first few weeks were rough, even for a dog lover like Matt. Muffy chewed his favorite pair of Docksiders, the leg of his entertainment center, and the corner of every box in the house. One night, he found her sitting on the dining room table devouring the pizza he’d brought home for dinner. But she followed him everywhere and slept beside him, snoring gently into his ear.

One day, the bug man failed to latch the gate, and Muffy was gone. Like a BB out of a pellet gun, she rocketed out of the yard headed for who knows where. Matt chased her through the neighborhood for an hour. It was the first of many escapes.

Sometimes she came home in an hour or two, head hung low and crooked tail drooping. Other times, Matt went looking for her. Occasionally, she’d run so far, she couldn’t find her way back home.

One time, the longest time, Muffy disappeared for three weeks. Matt finally found her five miles away, dirty, hungry, and eating out of a trash can. When he called her, she came toward him, limping from a sand spur caught between her toe pads. He scooped her up, soiling his white button-down. Muffy covered his face with slobbery doggy kisses, then rested her tired head on his shoulder with a grateful sigh.

Matt’s commitment to Muffy, in a small way, mirrors Jesus’s commitment to us.

We weren’t looking for Jesus when He chose us to be His own. He took the initiative. He didn’t need us, but we sure needed Him. Adopting us into His forever family, He promised to meet our every need. He loves us—lavishly, sacrificially, joyfully.

But sometimes we’re like Muffy. We love to run. Something shiny catches our eye, and we dash after it with nary a backward glance. Home is nice, but excitement beckons. Other times, we simply wander. Without intending to, we allow busyness, laziness, or apathy to lure us from His side.

Always the Good Shepherd, God leaves the fold and sets off into the darkness of our sin to woo us back. He lavishes us with grace of forgiveness and draws us into His embrace. He lifts us onto His shoulders and carries us home rejoicing.

I long to live every day close to God. I think youdo, too. But if we become deceived by sin, self, or Satan, God won’t abandon us. He’ll come looking for us, and when He finds us, He’ll welcome us back home.

Embrace the Truth: God won’t abandon us when we wander away. He’ll come looking for us.

Declare Your Faith: Lord, I believe if I run or wander away, you’ll come looking for me. You’re committed to me on the days I delight you and on the days I fail you. I want to live close by your side, but I know there will be times when I’ll get distracted or deceived. Thank you for not abandoning me in my sinfulness. Give me a tender heart that recognizes and confesses my sin quickly so you can restore me. I love you so much. I want to please you in everything I do. Amen.