Dr. Andrew Bonar once told of sheep that would jump down ten or twelve feet onto ledges in search of sweet grass, only to find themselves trapped and unable to return. The shepherd would wait until the sheep were weak enough to stop trying to escape, then climb down and carry them back to safety.

That is what our Good Shepherd does for us. When we wander off and get stuck in sin, He does not abandon us. He comes for us. Patiently. Tenderly. Carrying us back to where we belong.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11