To the very ends of the earth

Grace for All

Seek the Lord while He may be found

Luke 15: 3-5 “ Jesus told them this story: If a man had a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.”’

A wonderful 1st grade teacher, Linda Brothers, once asked me if I would be willing to read a book to her class at story time. I indicated I would love to, and asked her to recommend something appropriate for first graders. A couple of days later, she dropped off at my office a half dozen children’s books. I read them all and fell in love with one of them. So one afternoon the following week I sat in a rocking chair with a zebra striped blanket across my lap and 21 first graders on the floor in front of me. I read to them “I Promise I’ll Find You” by Heather Patricia Ward.

This slender volume has bright, colorful illustrations, all depicting a mother in search of a child. Each page shows the mom in some mode of transport, with rhyming verses explaining her search. The first page shows her in a little boat and reads, “If I had a little rowboat, I’d row across the sea. I’d row, row, row, and I’d bring you back to me.” Subsequent pages show the mother in an airplane, a choo-choo train, riding a horsie, in a race car, a rocket ship, a submarine, a hot air balloon, and on a motor bike. And all of the rhyming words convey the message of the tirelessness of the search.

The next to the last scene pictures a giant chasm with a child on one side and a mom walking a tightrope across to where the child is. The book says, “And if I had no other way, I’d walk or crawl or run. I’d search to the very ends of the earth, for you, my precious one .” The final scene shows the mom with her arms around her child. They are at home and together. The closing words are: “So remember this, my darling, for it is very true. If ever you’re apart from me, I’ll search till I find you.” On the dedication page the author has written, “This book is dedicated with love to all the missing children of the world.”

And the Good Shepherd left the 99, went and searched until he found the one that was lost, and brought it safely home. The Bible’s good news is a personal message to you: I’ll search till I find you. You are my precious one. I’ll do whatever it takes to bring you safely home to me. And God did what it took. The Cross.

Prayer

Loving, searching Good Shepherd, thank you for finding me. Amen.

This devotion was written and read by Herb Sadler.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

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First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.