Luke 15:1-10

Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So He told them this parable, saying, “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I tell you that in the same way, 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, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and 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 which I had lost!’ In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”^[1]

One of the sad realities of the body of Christ today is found in the number of her members that develop spiritual amnesia. Having been redeemed from darkness and brought into the marvelous light, many seem to forget where it was that their Father found them. There are many who will testify about the time in their life when they found the Lord, but the truth of the matter is that it was the Lord who not only found them, but was actively seeking them. Peter maintains that God desires that none should perish but all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Like the shepherd who loses one of his sheep and leaves the flock to look for it, or the woman who loses a coin and searches diligently until she finds it, so our Heavenly Father reaches out to us.

We might well shake our heads in dismay reading how the Pharisees and scribes grumbled because of the sinners with whom Jesus would eat, but all too many of us are little better. I remember a time years ago when at a campus wide event the student manager of the university radio station responded to the invitation to come to Jesus. In the opinion of some she was unfit for the Kingdom. She wore too much makeup, too short skirts, worked in a secular radio station playing secular music, and had a dubious reputation. As she walked past some of the members of the Christian Fellowship I overheard some of the young women remark, “Jesus will take anybody.” I replied, “Yes, He will. He took you.” He searched us out not because we were worthy but because He loved us.

Gracious Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us so much that You refused to allow us to die in the midst of our sins. Thank you for reaching out to us so that when we finally came to ourselves You were easy to touch. Forgive us for being less charitable to others. Forgive us for forgetting where it was You found us, and how long You waited for us to surrender. Grant us grace to love others the way You have loved us so that those who were lost may be found. This we ask in the strong name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.

^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Lk 15:1–10.