Craig Clouston

 Left at the IGA

March 31

Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does

he not leave the ninety-nine … and go after the lost sheep until he

finds it?

Luke 15:4

They were headed for the nursing home to visit Gramma. Sally, one of five girls,

was asleep in the back seat when Momma stopped at the IGA. Living twenty-

plus miles from the grocery store meant taking the opportunity to shop when

it presented itself.

Awakening, Sally found the car empty. Getting out of the car, Sally entered

the store undetected. Drawn to the shiny aluminum strip along the display

cases in the cold-food section, Sally momentarily forgot her objective. The cool,

variegated silver bar (at just the right level for a four-year-old) called to her,

inviting her to run her fingernails against its irregular surface. Sally giggled as

she ran to the meat case at the back of the store. From one end of the store to

the other she went, fingernails gliding over the shiny, diamond-plated surface.

It tickled her fingers!

As she turned to make her next pass, she could see up the long aisle and

out the doors at the front of the store. She froze! Momma’s car was mov-

ing! She was being left behind! She ran for the front of the store screaming,

“Momma!” As she reached the doors, she was gently scooped off her little

feet by a kindly woman. Comforting Sally and holding her close, she tenderly

whispered, “Momma will be back, hon. Don’t you worry.” She knew the young

mother would return. And sure enough, ten minutes later, through bullet-sized

tears, Sally saw her Momma jump from her car, running, arms extended toward

her.

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Everything changed when Momma realized her child was nowhere to be

found. Her purpose shifted from a visit to Gramma to a mission of finding

her lost child.

Jesus feels the same way about those who have strayed from the flock. He

will not rest until they are safe in the fold. Like Sally, we can become side-

tracked by the things of this world. And like the kindly woman, Jesus will send

one of His own to comfort and embrace the lost child until, through the tears,

he sees Him coming.

Prayer

“Thank You, Jesus, for always looking

for us when we’re lost. Amen.”