The ninety and nine

“How think ye? if a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?” - Matthew 18v12

This is a marvellous illustration from Scripture and it has a couple of principles. First is the basic principle that God cares about individuals. Every person is important to God and He cares about every one. Jesus gave His life for all men and for every man. Praise God for His care for all.

In this specific context however He is talking about His own sheep, those who are already bought and paid for. In this story we read about a shepherd who has 100 sheep and 99 of them are already and safe and accounted for. Yet one of the sheep is missing. That one is so valuable that the shepherd will leave the rest in the fold and go out to look for the wandering one. What a blessing to know that every one of Jesus’ sheep is important to Him. When we wander away He still cares and the blessing is that not only does He care and wait for us, but He will go out into the hills to find us.

Praise God that Jesus cares about the one, and that He cares about me as much as the ninety and nine.