Leaving The 99

As we are on the journey of desiring to adopt a child from Liberia, sometimes we are asked questions. These questions are all sincere, and many are even helpful and provoke thought about a certain area that we have not addressed. Yet, many people seem to have the idea that in order to adopt another child, your biological children are going to have to give up something or be sacrificed in some way through the process.

As I was running today, the Lord brought to my mind the parable he told about the missing sheep. The shepherd in that story was very concerned with the one, little, lost sheep who had wandered away from the fold. The shepherd even went to seek out this lost sheep, leaving the others for a time. Did that mean that Jesus was unconcerned for those others? Not at all! He knew that those sheep were covered and protected. He left his blessing with those sheep when he left them for a time. He was concerned about the unprotected one, the one who was open to the wolves, the one who was helpless and lost, without hope unless He came to the rescue.

This is how the Lord sees these precious orphaned, abandoned children of the world. They are lambs worth looking for, seeking out and bringing into the shelter of His arms. That in no way takes away the value of his other precious lambs, the ones already within the safety of the flock. Yet, it is God's heart that He seek and save that which is lost. How beautiful is the heart of God. How incomprehensible His great love toward all He has made. May our hearts beat with the tender heart of our Shepherd tonight.