October 3, 2025

Friday, October 3, 2025
The Missing Leaf 

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?” Luke 15:4 (NIV) 

​Living in North Texas, the arrival of fall often feels elusive. The leaves do change, but usually not until late November. Before moving here, I lived in places where the seasons unfolded with vivid clarity. Autumn brought a crisp breeze and a breathtaking display of color, fiery reds, golden yellows, and vibrant oranges. Each leaf seemed to tell a story of transformation. 

I remember raking leaves into large piles, searching for the most brilliant one among them. Sometimes, just as I found a particularly stunning leaf, the wind would pick up and carry it away. One time, the gust was so strong it snatched the leaf right from my hand. Like a child, I chased after it, not because there weren’t other beautiful leaves, but because that one had captured my heart. 

In many ways, this is how God sees each of us. 

Out of all the people in the world, God notices when one is missing. He doesn’t say, “I have plenty of others.” Instead, He pursues us, relentlessly, lovingly, and personally. Just like the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to find the one, God searches for us when we wander, determined to bring us back. 

Reflect: How does it feel to know that God seeks after you, no matter where you are?