Imagine, if you will, a love so merciful, so unconditional, so reckless even, that all would be set aside for your well-being. This, my friend, is the reality of Christ's love for us! Jesus told the story of a shepherd who left his flock of ninety-nine to search for the ONE that had gone astray. But this story was just an example of himself, the loving shepherd, who is unwilling to see even one of His children become lost.

To many, this is a foolish concept. It makes no sense that having ninety-nine you would even concern yourself with one. What if in searching for the one you should lose the ninety-nine? As a parent of three, I sat here reflecting on this truth allowing myself to imagine this to be a personal situation. My initial reaction was: "There is no way I could abandon two of my children to go in search of one...I would take them with me!" However, the Lord, brought a moment to the fore front of my memories in which I did exactly this. I only had two children at the time, we were in a very long line at an amusement park when I briefly let go of my, then, three-year old's hand to retrieve the tickets from my wallet. In what seemed like a split-second, I look down and she was gone! I asked her sibling, who was just a few years older, if he had seen where she had gone but he hadn't even noticed she was missing. In a blur, I looked at the person standing behind us in line, decided I could trust them, and told my son: "Stay here!" Within 60 seconds I had found my wandering child and was back in line with my son who had remained unharmed. Others that have heard this story have said, "How could you leave your son there?" or "Why didn't you take him with you?" In other words, "Why were you so reckless?!" I, myself, don't understand the reasoning behind my actions except that somehow, I felt that he would be safe. There was no Plan B. Upon finding my child I was so relieved to have found her that I couldn't even reprimand her for walking away from me, instead I hugged her and made sure she was ok. Jesus told me today, "See, you did it too!"

But Jesus' searching is far more fervent for his lost children than that of a parent. We cause him the pain of heartbreak over and over and He still searches for us frantically. His love for us is so unconditional that He opens His arms for us every single time! The lyrics to a popular song say that He will light up every shadow, climb every mountain, kick down every wall and tear down every lie to come after His lost child!² Having a Father who loves me that much overwhelms my soul to the point of crying out, "Daddy! I'm Here!"

What is keeping you from returning to the Father? If you are feeling lost today, desperate, and unloved, know that Jesus is going though reckless, incredible lengths to find you. Jesus is unwilling to allow any of His children to remain lost and will risk everything, even His life, for you because you are worth it and in Heaven there is joy. I encourage you to read the parable for yourself today and see that Jesus, The Shepherd, is searching for you.³

Suggested prayer:

Dear Loving Father, I have pained your heart with my sin again and again. I have walked away and become lost in my own self- guidance. Lord, today I am so grateful that you will leave everything to make sure that I am back where I belong, which is in your merciful arms. Forgive me for searching for happiness and contentment in other places when my joy can only be found in you. I love you, Lord! Gratefully, in Jesus' name, Amen.

1. Luke 15: 4,5

2. "Reckless Love" song by Cory Asbury

3. Luke 15:1-7