There is a book we read quite frequently at my house called “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” This book is set to the famous tune, but instead of following Mary everywhere, this particular lamb decides to find new adventures off on his own. However, things do not go too well for this lamb. He gets drenched in cow milk, shoved by the goat, dropped in the mud, only to be later found by Mary, who gently gives him a bath, feeds him, and tucks him in to bed.

While the consequences of this lamb’s wandering are somewhat humorous, Peter reminds us today that too often we are like this lamb. However, the consequences of our wandering are much more serious: our sins put Jesus on the cross.

The devil tries to take the pressures of our daily life and use them to turn us against God. Too many responsibilities, misbehaving children, colleagues who hurt our feelings, sickness in the world—these are all ways the devil tries to stick us in the mud on a daily basis and lead us to sinful ways instead of God’s ways. But there is hope! We have a shepherd and overseer who is always there to find us.

Just as Mary rescued her lamb so lovingly, we have a loving Savior who is always there to rescue us. Jesus, the shepherd of our souls, bore our sins, and by his wounds we have been healed. Overwhelmed? Jesus finds you. Feeling hurt? Jesus finds you. Sick? Jesus finds you. He wraps you in his loving arms by his grace and gives us the hope of everlasting life.