Lost – by Stuart Segall
Recently, standing in my front yard along the calm, quiet street that I live on, there he came trotting down the road trying to project a sense of purpose like he knew where he was going. The look shouted… “where am I, but I don’t dare let on that I don’t’ know.”
However, being the higher intelligent form of life, I knew he was only kidding himself and that he was lost. You see, he had four legs and I had two. He was a young mix of Rottweiler and Lab with a nice collar on and plenty of ID tags dangling.
If I could only reach him! First, I pursued on foot hoping to lead him to safety. I coaxed with all the charm I could muster and several times thought I had convinced him. But, alas! Then, I even took off in my car to the field I had now found him in. The lad was headed in the direction of a busy, deadly highway.
Finally, after many close encounters in trying, I made one last valiant effort and just when I thought he was convinced to follow me, some little mutt appeared out of nowhere, playful and frisky and gave him the nod with his head to follow him. Therefore, with a change of heart that is exactly what he did.
It still pains me to write that I do not know what happened to him, but I know if he had come with me he would have been safe. Alas, with this other dog they looked like they truly were headed towards the badlands.
My mind went to Matthew 18:11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. 12. If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?13. And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.14. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
While this four-legged guy was no lamb, he needed to be saved from himself and the destruction that lay ahead, and I was offering him the opportunity, but try as I did, I could not make his choice for him. He simply did not know my voice nor know how bad off he really was. This is the way we can be.
The Good Shepherd may be calling us, coaching us to come to Him and leave a bad situation we have placed our self in, but no matter how kind His voice, how patient He is and how He desires to help, we too must make the choice to follow Him.
We can listen to our inner voice, we can observe the nod of someone else to go frolic, or we can go to the Good Shepherd who loves us and gave Himself for us. But He always gives us a choice. Is there anything going on in your life that might be keeping you from hearing and obeying His voice?
Plain Truth Ministries | Box 300 | Pasadena, CA 91129-0300
