A lost sheep, 1 out of 100. The lost coin, 1 out of 10. A lost son, 1 of 2. As Christ teaches us about recovering something that was lost, He increases the value. One percent, to ten percent, to fifty percent. The shepherd searches, the woman seeks diligently, and the father waits and watches.
The sheep and the coin had to be located; they couldn’t contribute to the search for themselves. The son, however, had to find himself. He had to come to a place of realizing his circumstances and behavior, and acknowledge what he’d squandered. He lost money, self-esteem, and community with his family.
I love how Jesus weaves mercy, grace, and love into each story. He gets us to see that whatever we have lost is worth celebrating when it’s found. In a way we can identify with each loss. But when we feel hopeless and lose our sense of self, it’s easy to believe that we’ve wandered too far from God’s plan to get back on track.
The Father Waits and Watches
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. Luke 15:20 ESV
God wants us to know that we haven’t gone too far or messed up too much to be unworthy of His compassion, embrace, and affection. We are His children, and He is there waiting and watching, and ready to celebrate our return.
The lost child of God is more valuable than the sheep or the coin. Unlike a sheep or a coin, a child of God knows when they’ve lost their bearings. The decision to return, repent, and reconnect with Him is what makes the final parable so powerful. Even if you’re a long way off, God our Father waits and watches and will spot you on the way. Simply turn your heart toward Him, to see Him run to embrace you and celebrate your return!
*For those of you who prayer walk, imagine the Father running to embrace you as you walk. Pray about how you would respond to His compassion.
For your copy of this week’s screensaver, click here. And to access all of my YouVersion Bible App devotional plans, click here.