Every church has those who once attended the services on a regular basis, who now never darken their doors. At times I have heard the pastor request the church to pray for the ‘backsliders’ as these are commonly called, that God will restore them to the fold. Sometimes there is even a campaign launched to call and visit these wandering sheep, trying to encourage them to return to church.
The fact remains that there are thousands of ‘cast’ sheep that have never responded to such prayers, to such campaigns, and are still out there somewhere lying on their backs, flailing their legs in the air, slowly suffocating, slowly dying. But are they really lost?
Jesus said He knew the names of every one of His sheep. No one would be able to pluck them out of His Father’s hand. That He had prayed for each of them that their faith would not fail, and that His Father would hear His intercessory prayers and forgive and restore them to His fold when they wandered away. As the Good Shepherd He would search for His lost ‘cast’ sheep until He found them, and then He would gently pick them up and carry them back into His loving Presence.
I wonder if this where the earthly shepherds and churches go wrong? They are trying to restore ‘cast’ sheep to a particular fellowship group, a particular teaching, instead of to the Lord Himself. Instead of extending a gentle loving hand, they are judging whether the ‘cast’ sheep really wants to ‘belong’ to their set of teachings again. Maybe the Pastor is failing to allow the ‘cast’ sheep to hear his shepherd voice or feel his shepherd touch, and sends others in his place? Maybe the tone of the voice is turning away the sheep?
Sheep are very sensitive and know the voice of their shepherd, and will not follow just anyone. This is why Jesus said that Satan disguises himself in sheep’s clothing, when he really is a wolf seeking to devour.
‘Cast’ sheep are ones who have sought a soft spot in the ground to lie down in, and as they relax and ruminate, the weight of their wool, or just gravity takes over, and they end up rolling onto their backs. Once on their backs, they are unable to right themselves again. Their legs flail at the air to no avail. They lay there while the gases in the stomach expands and shut off their air supply, and eventually they will suffocate to death. They need the tender touch of the shepherd to help them to get back onto their feet.
If they don’t die from suffocation, they become easy prey for buzzards, vultures, dogs, wolves, and coyotes.
The shepherd knows that even the strongest and the fattest sheep can become cast and he has to be constantly on the alert.
When the shepherd finds the ‘cast’ sheep he tenderly, gently, lovingly rolls the sheep over by pulling up on its wool and helping it to right itself on its feet. He straddles the sheep until its legs are circulating blood again enabling it to stand by itself and walk without falling back down. He softly but firmly rebukes and corrects it as he scolds it for being a rascal and getting into trouble. The sheep hear the compassion in his voice and respond to his ministrations. He then picks it up and carries it on his shoulders back to the fold where it finds safety and the application of oil and wine for its wounds, or its wool sheared off to lighten its load and to prevent it from rolling over onto its back again anytime soon.
God is not angry with you!
Many are taught to believe that God is an angry God. He is the God of the Law of Moses and demands an eye for eye. Many have had earthly fathers like this and it makes it difficult for them to relate to their Heavenly Father as a God of Love and Mercy.
Yet, Jesus demonstrated that this is really what Jehovah God of the Old Testament is; full of Love and Mercy. Jesus paid the penalties of all the broken Laws of Moses. We have nothing left to pay, nothing left to earn. His Grace, His Salvation, His Forgiveness, His Mercy are all free gifts for our just saying we are sorry for wandering away from His fold. There is nothing left for us to do, but to receive.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd of Psalm 23. He fulfills all that David described a good shepherd to be. He rejoices over finding His ‘Cast’ sheep which have gone astray and gotten into trouble and are dying spiritually without His help. He never scolds us in anger, only in love. He never punishes us for our sins, He already paid for them. He never throws us away to the wolves. He also defeats the enemy of our souls. He never stops searching for us, and He is always ready to pick us up and carry us back to His loving Presence.
As Jesus gently corrected Peter, and gently restored him, in like manner He will restore you and I. He knows we as sheep get into trouble, looking for the easy paths, wandering away into dangerous areas of this world, looking for food that does not satisfy, and that we will be easily deceived and taken advantage of. Yet, He still loves us because we are His sheep. He paid the price for each of us. He bought us from the enemy. He owns us. He will not allow anyone to take us away from Him ever again.
We only have to allow His gentle hands to lift us back to our feet and hold us there until we are able to walk again on our own, and learn to stay close to His side, where there is safety and provisions and healing care.
David’s Soul ‘Cast’ Down
David as a shepherd said that many times his soul was ‘cast’ down. (Psalm 42:11) His soul and our souls become dejected and discouraged in this life. David knew the only one who could ‘right-side’ his soul, was His God, and we know the only one who can help us is Jesus Christ as our Good Shepherd. He has come to give His life for His sheep, so that His sheep could have eternal life and live this life more abundantly!
You Can Pray for ‘Cast’ Sheep
So ask God to help you pray daily, sincerely, for all of His ‘cast’ sheep around the world. Ask for their healing and restoration to His Presence, and not just to a local set of teachings. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring all things to their minds and cause them to grow in the knowledge of Christ. He then will guide them to fellowship where He wants them.