John 10:11-16 tells us Jesus stays with the sheep, even when the thief comes:

“‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd’” (NKJV).

Jesus doesn’t leave! He stays to protect His sheep from being scattered! The thief plans to take the sheep—us, the ones who are saved and are praying for our prodigals to be saved, but God is with us, protecting us, and is for us against Satan and his demons, against the schemes he’s devised to cause us to scatter from each other, from our supporting each other so that we are more likely to falter in our faith or to fall from faith altogether. But Jesus stays to stop that from happening. He is able to do that. Jude 1:24 says, “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.” I want to add an exclamation point behind that verse so badly, but there isn’t one in Scripture.

He stays, and He is able to keep us from falling!

But, Jesus doesn’t stay just to keep us from scattering and falling, to keep us in the fold, but He also stays to bring the other sheep He has into the fold! Did you notice that? I’ve read this verse and heard this verse more times than I know, but I never thought about it like this. He already has the sheep that need to be brought to the fold! That is reason to praise!

This is where “we walk by faith, not by sight:)” (2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV. I just had to use the King James Version of this verse, and I just had to leave the smiley face at the end. Yes, it is really there!).

He stayed on earth (until He fulfilled all prophecies about Himself and the work He came to do).

He stayed on the cross (until He completely satisfied the penalty for our sins).

He stayed in the tomb (just for three days).

He rose again (revealing Himself to many witnesses before He went back to the Father).

He now stays with us always, all the time, in every place.

He also now stays with our prodigals always, all the time, in every place.

It’s time to give Him thanks!