We are CALLED to spend time with our Father doing what he loves. Our Father loves to seek and save the lost. Those who don’t know the love of the Father, the sacrifice of Jesus, and the hope that comes from the Holy Spirit are lost. BUT there is HOPE for them!
God comes alongside us in life so that we may come alongside those who don’t know him and allow the Holy Spirit to guide our conversations with them and our behaviors that they may witness. The 3 parables of lost things express the love of our Father. His desire for his creation to know and be in relationship with him is undeniable when these parables are put in perspective of God’s heart.
The Three Parables
The Lost Sheep
“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”
The Lost Coin
“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
The Prodigal Son
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”
Luke 15:1-32 NIV
We often sing the hymn “Amazing Grace” with the words, ‘I once was lost but now I’m found.’ It is a beautiful reminder that God pursues us individually. God loves us so much that he gives us a choice on whether we follow him or not. Choosing to follow Jesus is an incredible journey and worth every difficult moment because I know I am NEVER alone! I look forward to spending eternity in worship of my Creator! When we choose to accept Christ as Lord and repent from our sins, the angels REJOICE! I love witnessing baptisms because I imagine the angels throwing a celebration in Heaven while the church body celebrates here on Earth.
I believe we all have times of wandering in the wilderness, hiding so others cannot see our pain, and thinking we have it all under control only to have to come back to our Father asking for forgiveness and mercy. If you get tired enough of being lost, God will make a way to find you! He gives his love, grace, and mercy freely. It is up to us to recognize we’ve wandered and ask the Holy Spirit for directions back home, into the Father’s arms.
We live in a broken world where GPS fails us and we still end up lost in the middle of nowhere. When we see and know of people who need direction to get to the Father, it is our responsibility to be there for them and show them the love that God gives to us. There are people all around us that are lost. Pray for your people. Pray for strangers. Pray for your enemies. Love everyone because you don’t know their story, but God does. Rejoice with the newly saved! Show them that this is the best decision they could ever make for themselves. Be there to support them each step of the way!
There are so many songs about being lost then found. I have added a few below:
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