Missing! The Lost Sheep - NCCG.ORG Ning Network Archive 2008-10

MISSING!
by Linda Sue Pochodzay Edwards

Excitement filled the house as the family was preparing for
a trip to the big city. They had all been anxiously waiting for
this day to come. There would be so many fun things to see and
do, AND they would even be staying in that b-i-g hotel that
looked like it reached all the way to the sky. It didn't seem
like it would ever happen, but FINALLY the suitcases were loaded
in the trunk and the children scrambled into the backseat of the
car.

Of course during the entire ride, everyone was shouting out
special places to visit and things to see and do.

"Let's feed the ducks in the park."

"Remember the glass elevator?"

"The dinosaurs at the museum!"

"Shopping! Shopping! Shopping!"

"I think the taxi ride was the best!"

With all the chatter, it seemed they were there in no time.
The luggage was unloaded and put on a cart to be taken to their
room. They were "ooh-ing" and "ah-ing" at the lovely chandeliers
and the huge statue in the lobby. And yes, they even got to ride
the glass elevator up to their room!

After a story and prayer, the children were tucked snuggly
into bed. It was SO hard to get to sleep because of all the
excitement.

They were all awake bright and early the next morning, and
after having a good breakfast in the hotel dining room, they
decided to walk down the street to the park, which wasn't very
far away. "Now remember, we all need to stay together. Don't
wander off, and don't go into any buildings alone," Dad warned as
they were leaving the revolving doors of the hotel.

The store windows were all so lovely; it was hard not to
linger. The aroma of the freshly baked bread caught their
attention as they walked by. They passed a T-shirt shop, and a
restaurant. There was a jewelry store and a beauty shop. Then Mom
said, "If you don't mind, I would like to go into this gift shop.
It looks like there are some things here I might like to buy."

"Well then, while you are shopping there, the rest of us can
go into this sporting goods store to look around," Dad said with
a grin. They checked to make sure their watches were set
properly, and agreed upon the time to meet together again outside
the store.

Mom enjoyed her time at the gift shop and bought something
special for each one. Dad and the children had a good time at the
sporting goods store even though they didn't purchase anything.
When the time came, they met on the sidewalk outside the store.

BUT . . .

There was a HUGE problem . . .

Someone was missing!

Little Kristy, the youngest, wasn't where she was supposed
to be. Dad and the other children went back into the sporting
goods store to look for her. Mom went back into the gift shop
thinking she might have gone in there. When they came out, they
still hadn't found her.

They walked down the street looking in every store.

They asked every cashier.

They talked to the security guard at the hotel.

They even talked to a police officer.

No one had seen little Kristy.

Frantically, they searched the other side of the street, in
and out . . . store after store. Mom and Dad were more worried
than they had ever been. WHERE could she have gone? WHERE could
she be?

THEN, they heard a whimper. It was coming from the direction
of the toy store. Could it be? Was it Kristy? Without wasting a
moment, they ran closer to the sound of the crying child and
found that, sure enough, it was little Kristy. Mom and Dad both
ran up to her and threw their arms around her. They hugged her
tightly. They kissed her on her tear-streaked cheeks. They were
so glad they had finally found her. Cheerfully, they completed
their walk to the park that day.

* * *

Yah'shua gathered a group of people around Him and wanted to
tell them a story showing how much He loved them. This story is
very similar to the one Yah'shua told.

Imagine that you are a shepherd and you have one hundred sheep
to care for. You love those sheep. Every day you take them out to
the pastures and help them find the best grass to eat. You take
them to the stream and make sure they have clean, fresh water to
drink. In the spring you sheer their wool (somewhat like a
haircut) so they don't get too hot in the summer. And in the fall
you let their wool grow so they are nice and warm in the winter.

You are with those sheep so much that you have given each
one of them a name, and each one of those sheep recognizes your
voice. There may be other shepherds in the same pastures, but
when you call your sheep, they come right to you. They don't go
with the other shepherds.

Every evening when you bring your sheep home to the barn for
the night, you call each one by name; you might even give them
each a little hug and say goodnight. You count to make sure you
haven't missed one.

Then one night you are counting ". . . 95 . . . 96 . . . 97
. . . 98 . . . 99 . . . ."

Ninety-nine? Only 99? Where is one hundred?

Then you look around to find out exactly which one is
missing. "Curly. Where is Curly? I thought she was right with
me." You look around to see if maybe she is hiding in a corner
and you just didn't see her. Then you look outside. No Curly.
Finally, you realize the only thing you can do is go back to the
pasture to see if she is still there. You get your lantern ready
because it is already dark outside. You stumble over the rocks
that are in the path. Strange that you never noticed those rocks
in the daytime. You get to the pasture and begin to call:
"Curlyyyy . . . Curlyyyy . . . . Where are you Curly . . . ? This
is really odd. Curly always comes running when she hears your
voice. But not THIS time. Curly has wandered off, and she can't
hear you.

You have to walk farther than normal. You climb the hill and
struggle over rocks and branches, all the time calling out,
"Curlyyyy . . . Curlyyyy . . . ."

Then . . . you hear it - just a small sound: "Baa - baa."
Hurriedly you go a little farther. The sound becomes louder: "BAA
- BAA." Just a little bit farther! Then you hear it loud and
clear: "BAA - BAA." There under a twisted shrub you find Curly.

"Oh, Curly! I am so happy to find you!" Gently picking up
Curly, you give her a big hug and she gives you a sheep kiss
right on your cheek. She is as happy to see you as you are to see
her.

Joyfully, you carry Curly back home and put her in the barn
with the other sheep. Then you run to tell the other shepherds,
"I found her!" "I found Curly!" "I found my sheep that was lost!"

Yah'shua was telling the people that each person is like the
sheep that was lost. We have all sinned and done bad things that
we weren't supposed to do. Yah'shua loved us so much that He was
willing to give His life to save us. He wants us to quit doing
sinful things. He wants us to love Him as much as He loves us.
When we choose to love Yah'shua, we will want to follow Him like the
sheep that follow the shepherd. We can learn to know His voice by
learning the things He says in the Bible, which is His Word.
Yah'shua said that there is great joy in Heaven when just one person
decides to love Him and live for Him.

Would you like to do that now?

LET'S PRAY

****************************************************
Dear Yah'shua, I am glad that You love me so much
that You gave Your life for me. I want to accept
You, and I want You to be my shepherd. I want to
love You and live for You. Help me to learn to
listen to Your Voice by listening to Your Word, the
Bible. Help me to obey You and only do things that
will make You happy. In Yah'shua's Name. Amen.
****************************************************

THINK!
Why would the shepherd leave the 99 sheep to look for just one?
How can you learn to hear God's voice?

BIBLE MEMORY VERSE:
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me;
And I give unto them eternal life" (John 10:27-28).

CAN YOU FIND THIS STORY IN THE BIBLE?
Luke 15:3-7

You can view this Bible story in full color with pictures and
resources to go along with the story at
http://childrenschapel.org/biblestories/missing.html

Bible story subscribers: 9,251

Purchase the WHOLE Website by clicking here