Luke 15:1-10

Be still: As I sit quietly with you, God, please meet with me through your Word. Give me ears to hear you and eyes to see the movement of your Holy Spirit in my life right now. Amen.

Read: Luke 15:1-10

…if he has lost one of them, does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? (v4)

Encounter: Legend has it that Susanna Wesley, the mother of famed revivalists John and Charles Wesley, was once asked, which of her nineteen children did she love the most. She replied, ‘The one who is sick, lost, hurting or forgotten’. 

We all know the feeling of being a bit lost or perhaps even the sense of being very lost. Like the coin, there is sometimes the need to be found even within the rhythms and routines of our daily lives at home. Or like the sheep, it might be that we have wandered very far from home, literally or metaphorically. Whatever the reason, being lost causes us to be confused and alone, and more. The dictionary describes it well — ‘lost’ refers to something or someone unable to be found, misplaced, disorientated, or no longer possessed. 

But our God is a good father and I believe that his heart, also, like Susanna Wesley’s, is drawn to those who are lost, maybe even disproportionately so. Unbeknown to us, in our lostness, we are actively being sought and pursued.

These two parables show us this truth so beautifully — both the shepherd and the woman will not give up their search. They are not fatigued or worn out by it. They are committed to finding the sheep and the coin, no matter the cost to themselves, in time and energy and inconvenience.

God is that type of seeker — he also experiences great joy and elation and fosters extravagant celebration when the lost is found. His heart is moved, it seems, in equal measure, both by the losing and by the finding, emphasising the immense value that God places on those who are lost or marginalised. 

Apply: Are you feeling lost today?  Do you know others who need to be found? What aspect of these two stories encourages you? Remind yourself that God’s heart leans towards all who are lost, even if that’s not what it feels like. 

Devote: Lord, thank you that we are never far from your sight and that when I’m lost your heart of compassion will find me.