The parable of the lost sheep expresses the heart of God for the orphan, especially the orphan that doesn’t know Jesus as Savior. The Good Shepherd, Jesus, works through our partners to enable God’s children to find the lost orphan, put them on their shoulders, and carry them home – just like Jesus said in Luke 15. Our forever families are the hands of God picking up the lost lamb, God’s precious orphan.
There are other sheep in the parable of the lost sheep, though – ‘the 99’ that Jesus leaves ‘in the open country’ (Luke 15:4b). Does the Shepherd love these little ones any less than the lost sheep He placed on His shoulders and took home? Of course not, ‘for God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son’ (John 3:16a). Forever Adoption cannot bring every orphan home; we must leave the 99 in the open country until we find a forever home for them. We, like God, love these 99 and want to continue to nourish their mind, body, and soul via our partnership with Lifesong for Orphans. Please give to our orphanage care program, the 99 Fund, to help support these children until they can also come home to their forever families.
“In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost” (Matthew 18:14).