“What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?” Matthew 18:12

We were out on our morning walk and saw something that made me think of this verse. Across from our neighborhood, there is a home on a large piece of beautiful land with lots of trees. The owner had brought out a container of water and was carefully inspecting this one, small tree. Out of all the trees on his land, he noticed the one that was not doing well and watered it. He was taking care of what belonged to him.

Doesn’t this make you think of our Heavenly Father? When He sees the condition of our hearts and the thoughts, actions and words that flow from it, He knows if we are living as His beloved. How incredible it is to have a Father that seeks us out and uses many different ways to remind us of who and whose we are. We all go astray and some stay away longer than others, but do not think for a minute that He is not wanting to bring you back into the fold. We are not meant to be apart from Him or others. So where ever you are today, I pray you experience the tender grace and care of the One to whom you belong.