The Lost One

Have you ever lost something of value?  Did you panic until you found it?

Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ 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 people 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.’ - Luke 15:1-10

In today's Gospel Jesus talks about losing a valued sheep and then losing a valued coin.  But these are not individual items of value.  The sheep is one in a hundred and the coin is one in ten.

The lost one is one of many.

He wants us to know that God sees all of us as precious. Just as a shepherd will go out to find a sheep that is lost or a woman would search for a coin, God will seek us out when we go astray.

Jesus came for that very reason, to find the lost ones and bring them home.

So, we should rejoice in knowing that God is always eager and willing to welcome us back.  And He will search for us when we are lost.

We may be one in a million, or a billion, and still God will search for us, as if we are the most important one of all.

More to come...