February 26, 2012
Luke
15:3-10
So he told them this parable:
“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not
leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until
he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his
friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my
sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell
you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over
ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. “Or what woman having ten
silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house,
and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her
friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that
I had lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there
is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Finding…
It feels great to find things. Nothing can throw us into a panic quicker
than losing something important.
Consider that lost wallet or those lost earrings. We will spend hours retracing steps and
looking everywhere until that important item is recovered. This parable uses the “lost” and “found”
terminology to describe God’s love and care for us. God is searching for His people…the ones who
have gone astray and who have been lost.
These people are described as sinners or people who have turned away
from God. God’s search is not a physical
one. God knows where we are. God’s search is for a change of heart in the
life of people He loves. When even one
sinner returns or is found there is great rejoicing and great joy. The lost child has returned home. This same idea of finding shows up in our
lives as well. Many of us spend our
lives searching. Just as God is
searching for us so our heart is searching for the Lord. Finding God is a wakeup call. It opens our eyes so that we can see our
lives, other people, and the whole world more clearly. Today maybe you need to be found. Maybe you need to find God. Search for Him today.
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