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? ⁵ And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ Luke 15:4-6

In this parable, Jesus is talking about a sheep who has escaped and is not with the other sheep. The shepherd knows when just one sheep is missing. It’s easier to search for something when you know it’s missing.

What if you don’t know a sheep is missing? Better yet, what of the sheep that is lost is still in with rest of the sheep?  Afterall, maybe “the lost” is amongst the other sheep and the shepherd doesn’t even realize they’re  “missing”. I’m not talking about Jesus. He always knows when someone is lost. He always knows when sheep are wounded. He always knows what’s happening inside the heart.

I’m talking about you and me. Every day we see people at work, church, or even the grocery store. They look like everyone else. You can’t tell they are lost by their appearance. Their appearance doesn’t show the “weights” they carry or the ache in their heart from grief. Their appearance doesn’t show their hurt from broken trust or why they are getting ready to walk away. Their appearance doesn’t show why they left church or why they can’t trust.

Today you will see someone you won’t even know is lost. It’s sobering to think about, isn’t it?  You may be the only smile or act of kindness they happen to run into.

Today Jesus needs your hands and feet. He needs you and I to take the extra effort to help someone we don’t even realize is lost.

Notes

What is it you’ve been believing for?

But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19

**Ponder- to think carefully about something, especially for a noticeable length of time.

When does positive pondering turn to negative OVERTHINKING?

OVERTHINKING

If we aren’t careful, our pondering turns to:

1.Questioning where we went wrong

2. Self-doubt

3. Manipulating the situation “helping God”

4. Our pondering turns to action. We take matters into our own hands and out of God’s hands- the situation can’t be in God’s hands AND our hands

 1. God can and will work beyond our ability to ask

(Did you know you’re not able to ask for what God is able to do?)

 Ephesians 3:20-21

 Isaiah 55:8-11

 2. God can & will work, but we must let go & get out of the way because we create setbacks (The less setbacks we create, the less time we MAY have to wait)

Genesis 15:5

Genesis 16:2-4

3. God can & will work beyond our level of faith- (we aren’t at our faith potential- but we can there)

 Genesis 17:15-19

Genesis 18:10-15

 4. God will work- but sometimes we must wait. Does a period of waiting cause us to forget God’s promise?

Abraham was 75 years old when he first received the promise, and Genesis 21:5 tells us he was 100 years old when Isaac was born.

The dust has settled during the waiting.

It’s time to polish off the promise

In the 25 years of waiting there was disbelief, setbacks, ‘man’ipulation,

A total of 4 times God promise Abraham,  When He promises Abraham, He promises Sarah. They are one

Genesis 12:2

Genesis 15:5

Genesis 17:1-2

Genesis 18

What is it you’ve been believing for?

!Impossible is God’s Starting Point!

Psalm 37:23-26