Wearied, torn, and half expiring'

Back to Man's religion & God's religion 3

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The poor sheep has gone astray; and having 
once left the fold, it is pretty sure to have gotten

into some strange place or other. It has fallen 
down a rock—or has rolled into a ditch—or is 
hidden beneath a bush—or has crept into a 
cave—or is lying in some deep, distant ravine, 
where none but an experienced eye and hand 
can find it out. 

Just so with the Lord's lost sheep. They 
get into strange places. They . . .
fall off rocks,
slip into holes,
hide among the bushes, and
sometimes creep off to die in caverns. 

When the sheep has gone astray, the shepherd 
goes after it to find it. Here he sees a footprint; 
there a little lock of wool torn off by the thorns. 
Every nook he searches—into every corner he looks– 
until at last he finds the poor sheep wearied, torn, 
and half expiring, with scarcely strength enough to 
groan forth its misery. The shepherd does not beat 
it home, nor thrust the goad into its back—but he 
gently takes it up, lays it upon his shoulder, and 
brings it home rejoicing.