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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion February 19, 2005 Lost and Found |
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Frontline Devotion for Saturday, February 19, 2005 By Don
Kress
Matthew
18:10-14
About a month ago my
wife became very upset when she realized that she had lost
one of her favorite silver bracelets. She had worn it to work that day, and had made a couple after work stops, and then discovered that evening, while
changing her clothes, that the bracelet was gone. She searched her purse
and brief case, but no bracelet. We went out to the garage and traced her
steps from the house to her car, but we didn’t find it. Then we did a
fairly thorough search of the interior of the car, but still no bracelet.
Now I don’t see my wife as an overly materialistic person, but she was quite
upset over losing this braided silver bracelet. After an unsuccessful
search of her office the next day, she started to become resigned to the fact
that the bracelet was gone.
Last Saturday morning I walked down to our mailbox to get the newspaper.
There in the grass beneath our mailbox, where a pile of snow had finally
completely melted, I noticed something. At first I thought it was an
earthworm, but then I thought that it was too early in the season to find any
earthworms, so I decided to take a closer look. It was then that I
realized I was looking at my wife’s bracelet. When I walked into the
house, my wife was sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast. I
casually walked over and held out my hand, saying, “Were you looking for
this?” I don’t need to describe for you my wife’s response once she
realized what I was holding! You know what her response was, because
you’ve no doubt had a similar experience at some point in your life.
There’s nothing quite like finding something of value that you were sure was
lost!
Today’s text is about a lost and found experience. “For the Son of Man
has come to save that which was lost.” Jesus tells us a parable about a
lost sheep. In this parable, the shepherd leaves the flock to go in search
of one lost sheep. I find it interesting that this shepherd actively seeks
the one sheep that is straying. A lot of shepherds might, I presume, stay
with the larger flock and hope that the lost sheep finds its way back to the
fold. Isn’t that the way we behave most of the time? When someone
leaves the church we hope that they will at some future time find their way
back. Or, like a missing bracelet, we mourn their loss for a while, but
then become resigned to the reality that they’re gone. But Jesus tells
us that He’s not like that. He tells us that He will go and seek the one
that is lost, and when He finds it, both He and his Father will rejoice. I
don’t know about you, but I find it quite comforting to realize that when I go
astray, Jesus will not simply hope that I find my way back. Instead, He
will actively seek me. He has come to save that which was lost!
In my church, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Gaithersburg, MD, there is a
large stained glass window that is the focal point of the chancel area.
The text from when the stained glass windows in our sanctuary were dedicated
describes the window like this. “Twenty-six feet high and six and
one-half feet wide, the Good Shepherd window becomes a visual focal point upon
entering the sanctuary. A myriad of different colored faceted glass was
employed to effect the subtle changes of texture in this window. The image
of Christ as the Good Shepherd is, at the same time, strong and sensitive.
He supports a sheep on His shoulders and carries the shepherd’s crook.
The predella, a smaller scene at the bottom of the window, which is not a part
of the main scene, shows the Shepherd reaching over a cliff to rescue a lost
sheep. This commemorates the parable in Matthew 18:12: “Suppose a
man has a hundred sheep. If one of them strays, does he not leave the
other ninety-nine on the hill-side and go in search of the one that
strayed?”.”
On most Sundays, as I stand in the center aisle awaiting communion, I gaze at this beautiful window. I first look at the predella and imagine myself as the lost sheep that is being pulled to safety by this wonderful Savior. Then I look at the larger window, and I envision myself as the sheep being carried on this gentle Shepherd’s broad and sturdy shoulders. Tears often come to my eyes, and as I take the communion elements, I am deeply moved that this Good Shepherd seeks and finds me every time I go astray, and gently carries me back to His fold, rejoicing that He has found that which was lost.
Prayer: Gentle Shepherd, forgive me for the fact that I get lost much too often. Thank you for actively seeking me whenever I stray from you. You are indeed the Good Shepherd. Amen.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry on the "Frontlines" of the world. Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily. Sign up by clicking on the box to the left. Pastor Dave welcomes feedback. Contact him at pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org. |
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