The lost sheep of the Lord struggle to find their way in the world. The found sheep of the Lord's pasture continue to struggle through this life with their former nature including the lusts of the flesh, but now we struggle with good help from our Lord. I do pity those who are lost sheep because I remember what it was like to struggle in only what strength I possessed in myself. Many mistakes taught me through bitter experience, and worse, the Lord kept knocking down all my sand castles.
Sand castles in this context are not those a child builds on the beach, but the houses built on the sand that Jesus spoke of in His parable. (See Matthew 7:24-29). Whatever strength of mind or body we might think we possess in our own right without our Lord Jesus is just such a sand castle. Age, injury, disease, and other things can knock down these castles built on the sand. I simply chose to give God the glory for knocking them down, as He is in control of all things, because those sand castles had to go for me to depend totally on my Lord alone. Found sheep don't get to keep their sand castles, and great is our rejoicing when our faith is in the Lord and in Him alone. Lost sheep? Well, they tend to call the Lord unfair when their houses built on the sand fall over in the storm.
So, found sheep planted firmly in the Lord's house or lost sheep swept up in every storm and deposited with the flotsam wherever the waves of the world will? Seems kind of obvious, but those lost sheep just keep building their sand castles. Pray for them, and let us keep our little sheep feet planted firmly on the Rock of our Lord's salvation!
Bucky
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