“So Jesus told them this parable: ‘Which one of you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go look for the one that is lost until he finds it?’” —Luke 15:3–4
Jesus came to save. Of all the different religions in this world, Christianity is the only one where God comes down to humankind—seeking us at our own level. Think about Adam and Eve right after their sin in the Garden of Eden. Prior to their disobedience, they had the unique experience of literally walking with God—totally naked, yet not ashamed. Then sin comes into the world, and they hide from God:
“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God moving about in the orchard at the breezy time of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the orchard. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, ‘Where are you?’” —Genesis 3:8–9
God is still seeking after us today!
Jesus demonstrates God’s seeking with Zacchaeus a bit later in Luke:
“Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this household, because he too is a son of Abraham! For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.’” —Luke 19:9–10
What mercy the Father bestows upon His lost sheep! Charles Spurgeon suggests that we “meditate for a moment on the mercy of God.” When we take time to meditate on God’s mercy we discover:
- God’s mercy is tender: With gentle, loving touch, He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds. He is as gracious in the manner of His mercy as in the matter of it.
- God’s mercy is great: There is nothing little in God; His mercy is like Himself—it is infinite. You cannot measure it. His mercy is so great that it forgives great sins to great sinners, after great lengths of time, and then gives great favors and great privileges, and raises us up to great enjoyments in the great heaven of the great God.
- God’s mercy is undeserved: As indeed all true mercy must be, for deserved mercy is only a misnomer for justice. There was no right on the sinner’s part to the kind consideration of the Most High; had the rebel been doomed at once to eternal fire he would have richly merited the doom, and if delivered from wrath, sovereign love alone has found a cause, for there was none in the sinner himself.
- God’s mercy is overflowing: Some things are great, but have little efficacy in them, but this mercy is a cordial to your drooping spirits; a golden ointment to your bleeding wounds; a heavenly bandage to your broken bones; a royal chariot for your weary feet; a bosom of love for your trembling heart.
- God’s mercy is unending: As Bunyan says, ‘All the flowers in God’s garden are double’. There is no single mercy. You may think you have but one mercy, but you shall find it to be a whole cluster of mercies.
- God’s mercy is unbounded: Millions have received it, yet far from its being exhausted, it is as fresh, as full, and as free as ever.
- God’s mercy is unfailing: It will never leave thee. If mercy be thy friend, mercy will be with thee in temptations to keep thee from yielding; with thee in trouble to prevent thee from sinking; with thee living to be the light and life of thy countenance; and with thee dying to be the joy of thy soul when earthly comfort is ebbing fast.
Become More
“But this I call to mind; therefore I have hope: The LORD’S loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end. They are fresh every morning; your faithfulness is abundant! ‘My portion is the LORD,’ I have said to myself, so I will put my hope in him.” —Lamentations 3:21–24
Further Reflection
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.” —Matthew 11:28–30