Daily Verse
May 22, 2026
Luke 15:3-7 ESV
So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
This passage reveals the heart of God for those who are lost. Jesus portrays God as a shepherd who actively seeks the one sheep that has wandered away, not out of obligation, but out of love. The image of the shepherd carrying the sheep on his shoulders reminds us that restoration is not earned—it is initiated by grace and sustained by God’s care.
For believers today, Luke 15:3–7 is both comforting and challenging. It comforts us by reminding us that no one is too far gone for God to pursue. It also challenges us to reflect God’s heart by caring for those who have drifted spiritually, become discouraged, or feel distant from faith. Heaven rejoices when one person turns back to God—so our hearts should rejoice in restoration, not judgment.