I saw a “Posted – No Trespassing” sign the other day and it brought back memories of the days when I was a kid living in the country.  My brother and I used to go exploring and we spent a lot of time walking and hiking through the woods and fields in the countryside near our home.  We saw a lot of those signs.  We never crossed a fence where one of those signs was placed.  Nope.  We always moved down at least another 50 feet, then we crossed the fence.  I never said we were good boys…just boys.  I remember one time we crossed several fences, went further than we meant to go, got all turned around and lost our way.  I think the more we tried to find our way back home the more lost we became; at least it felt that way.  We were plodding along arguing about which way to go, grousing about whose fault it was when out of the blue we heard our father calling for us.  Oh man, was I glad to hear his voice!  We had been gone too long so he came looking for us and he found us.  Oh my goodness was I glad to get back home.  When I look back now and think about that day I think about what the Bible says in Ezekiel 34:11-12

Eze 34:11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

At the time this verse was written, God was speaking to the nation of Israel.  They had gone astray and been overrun by the nation of Babylon and they were being led by faithless spiritual leaders.  The Lord Himself promised to seek out His people and Shepherd His flock.  He would search for them and deliver them.  Oh my goodness, what an awesome passage of scripture!  What a wonderful promise!  Oh, we need to understand that passage and that promise is not just for Ezekiel’s time.  No, it is not just for the nation of Israel.  There is also a personal application for us today.  We have all trespassed, we have all crossed some boundaries that we shouldn’t have, and we have all lost our way at some time or another and gone some place that God did not want us to go.  And yet despite the fact that we wandered off on our own, despite the fact that we have stayed away far too long, the Lord still comes after us.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, said, “I have come to seek and to save the lost.”  I promise you that even if you feel lost and alone, you can know that the Good Shepherd is looking for you.  I promise you that in the midst of your wandering, He is calling out to you.  He wants to deliver you from your dark and cloudy days.  No matter how many fences you have crossed, no matter how many signs you have ignored the Lord is still looking for you and desires to have a personal relationship with you!  Don’t keep plodding along, trying to get back on the right path on your own.  Respond to His call.  You will be glad you did.  He offers you grace, He offers you mercy, He offers you forgiveness and eternal life.