Seek the Straying

"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?" -Luke 15:4 (NIV)

Yesterday at the church where I have the privilege of serving God, we had a church-wide luncheon. I enjoy it when our two worshiping congregations come together and it was good to see a gym full of people enjoying good food and fellowship. But I'm also always struck by the number of people who don't come when the two congregations get together. Of course, special schedules aren't the only Sundays when people don't regularly attend church. We could no doubt come up with several reasons why people don't regularly attend (and that's an important conversation to have) but it's not the scope of this devotional. Rather than criticize those who don't regularly worship, I'd like to encourage those who do regularly worship.

When you get to worship on Sunday morning, take note of the people that you don't see. Commit to calling or writing those people even if you don't think you know them well. You could say something like this: "I missed seeing you at church on Sunday. Perhaps you were under the weather. Perhaps you were traveling. Perhaps you had an ox in the ditch that needed to be rescued. Whatever the reason, I just want you to know that it's not the same worshiping without you."

When someone comes to church that hasn't been in a while, avoid saying things like, "I can't believe the roof didn't cave in when you walked into the sanctuary." Just smile, greet them warmly, and say that it's so good to see them. Invite them to sit with you. Contact them later in the week and say that their presence is important and a blessing.

Isn't that exactly what Jesus is modeling in the suggested scripture for today? He tells the parable of a shepherd who has one hundred sheep. One of them is missing so the shepherd seeks out the one that has wandered. Why would a shepherd do this? Is it really worth leaving the ninety-nine to go after one that has strayed? Apparently so. The shepherd realizes that if the wandering sheep is not found, it will likely be devoured by a predator.

Jesus knows that it's to the wandering sheep's benefit that it be brought back to the flock. Indeed, Jesus goes looking for wandering sheep. How would church attendance and even more importantly the heath and welfare of all God's sheep be different if you, as a faithful member of his flock, did the same?

May God grant you the grace to seek out straying sheep of the fold today.


Tomorrow's readings: Ezra 5-6, Psalm 138, and Luke 16.