As a Lost Sheep

I always imagine if I were a character in the Christmas Story, I would probably be one of the shepherds.  When the angels arrived to tell of Christ's birth, odds are I would have been outside taking care of animals.  I have a little ornament that I keep on my desk in my office that is a model horse, with the nativity painted on one side, and on the other is a depiction of a shepherd with his sheep, staring at the new star, with the city far away on the horizon.  This is precisely how I picture myself in the story, standing in my field with my animals, the city a light in the distance, and Christ's star the brightest thing in the sky.

I also love the story of the good shepherd and the lost sheep.

“What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

“And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.” Luke 15:4-5

In my church, we often (mostly) discuss this story in the context of going to rescue the one person who is having trouble.  If you're sitting in Sunday school and this story is discussed, it's discussed as important to visit the sick, to assist the individual with strong doubts, to make friends with your next door neighbor who may not be Mormon.  I think this is important, I can think of many scriptures where Christ tells his followers to be of assistance to those who need it.

However, if I were a character in this story, I'm the lamb that got lost.  In this field of life, I desperately want to feel safe, I want to feel at home.  As a horse trainer, at my ranch I create a safe place for each horse to find what he likes to do and what he is good at.  I provide safety, shelter, protection, food, water, and psychological security.  I take charge of things so they don't need to be afraid of predators on the horizon, imagined or real.  I want someone to do for me what I do for my horses, and in this need I find God.

In the words of the hymn, Come Thou Fount:  
Jesus, sought me when a stranger
Wandering from the fold of God
He, to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood
Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, O take and seal it.

Elder Uchtdorf is an apostle in my church, and he said this last weekend in general conference:

"My dear brothers and sisters, my dear friends, I testify that God sees us as we truly are—and He sees us worthy of rescue.  You may feel that your life is in ruins. You may have sinned. You may be afraid, angry, grieving, or tortured by doubt. But just as the Good Shepherd finds His lost sheep, if you will only lift up your heart to the Savior of the world, He will find you.

He will rescue you.

He will lift you up and place you on His shoulders.

He will carry you home."

I'll continue to act as a good steward and shepherd my horses through their journey in life, and I'll continue to find that same security and feeling of home in my faith because of this otherworldly protection I receive from God.