“It is the truth of the gospel, reaffirmed in our hearts daily that puts desire into our duty.” –Jerry Bridges

     When the Good Shepherd finally reaches his lost sheep, he oftentimes finds it in a grievous condition.  The sheep has been removed from the protective care of his shepherd.  Not only that, he has been exposed to the dangerous elements of the wilderness.  Oftentimes, when a shepherd would find his sheep in the wilderness, he would find him at the point of death.

In the parable of Luke 15, Christ reminds us that the shepherd is mindful of the sheep’s condition.  He said, “And when he hath found it, he lay it on his shoulders, rejoicing” (Luke 15:5).

What a beautiful picture of grace.  The Shepherd picks up the sheep and positions him on the backside of his neck.  If the sheep makes it out alive, he will do so because he is on the shepherd.  The sheep came into the wilderness by his own accord, but he leaves the desert through the strength and power of the shepherd.

Getting out of the wilderness of sin depends solely upon our position in Jesus Christ.  As the sheep was on the shepherd, you and I must be in the Shepherd. Our journey out of the wilderness is comfortably secured upon the shoulders of our Savior.

Daily Reading: Psalms 133-139

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