The Ninety and Nine

As the third stanza relates, the "ransomed" who are safe in the fold often do not seem to know, nor appreciate, the lengths that Christ goes through to rescue people like me, who even though I already belonged to Him, yet I was lost and "out in the desert, sick and helpless and ready to die," but then Jesus heard my cry. (see scriptures below).

The Ninety and Nine Words: Elizabeth Clephane, 1868. Music: Ira Sankey, 1874. There were ninety and nine that safely lay in the shelter of the fold, but one was out on the hills away, far off from the gates of gold. Away on the mountains wild and bare; away from the tender Shepherd's care, away from the tender Shepherd's care. "Lord, Thou hast here Thy ninety and nine; are they not enough for Thee?" But the Shepherd made answer: "This of Mine has wandered away from Me, and although the road be rough and steep, I go to the desert to find My sheep, I go to the desert to find My sheep." But none of the ransomed ever knew how deep were the waters crossed; nor how dark was the night that the Lord passed through ere he found His sheep that was lost. Out in the desert He heard its cry, sick and helpless and ready to die, sick and helpless and ready to die. "Lord, whence are those blood drops all the way that mark out the mountain's track?" "They were shed for one who had gone astray ere the Shepherd could bring him back." "Lord, whence are Thy hands so rent and torn?" "They are pierced tonight by many a thorn; they are pierced tonight by many a thorn." But all through the mountains, thunder riven, and up from the rocky steep, there arose a glad cry to the gate of heaven, "Rejoice! I have found My sheep!" And the angels echoed around the throne, "Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own, rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, for the Lord brings back His own!"

Psalm 107:25-31 (New American Standard Bible) "For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind, Which lifted up the waves of the sea. They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths; Their soul melted away in their misery. They reeled and staggered like drunken men, And were at their wits' end. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, And He brought them out of their distresses. He caused the storm to be still, So that the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad because they were quiet, So He guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men!" Matthew 18:12, Luke 15:5-6, Matthew 18:13 (New American Standard Bible) "What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?" … "When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’" … "truly I say to you, he rejoices over [the one sheep which was lost and then found] more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray."

Donnie Sumner and The Talley Trio with Gaither and Friends