Rejoicing and Remaining

And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. Matthew 18:13

The father told his son, “Just stay here while I look for your sister.” The boy nodded giving his father the confidence that he will stay and will not go astray. The father had to look back from time to time to see if his boy is still there. The father was going forward to find his lost child yet sometimes looks back to his child who remained. He found his daughter and was joyful. They went back and still found his son where he left him. Now his family is complete and the father rejoices.

I was thinking for the past years that the ninety-nine sheep who did not go wandering were not significant in the parable. God showed me the fact that they have an important role to play. The shepherd would not have gone to look for the lost one if these ninety-nine did not remain. The shepherd would not have the courage to walk towards the missing if the ninety-nine did not stay. The shepherd would not have rejoiced after finding the misplaced one if the ninety-nine have not hold on to their place. The shepherd knew the ninety-nine were secured and safe as he had the confidence to look for the lost.

For God, there is value in finding the lost and there is value in remaining in Him.

Friends, our God rejoices in finding the lost, He celebrates when someone is found.

And our God rejoices because ninety-nine sheep remained.