Luke chapter 15 tells the stories of a lost sheep (3-7), lost silver (8-9), and a lost son (11-20). Each time, there was great rejoicing as each one found what they had lost. The lost sheep strayed from the shepherd. The lost son strayed from his father, but the silver coin was simply lost by the woman. She lit a candle, looked, and swept the house until she found it. Been there – Done that!
I can relate to the woman losing her coin. I have lost my keys, hearing aids, billfold, pillbox, and most often my glasses. I lost them. I must find them. I look where I last remember having them. They are not there. I look where I placed them. They are not there. Why? They were never there. I put them in a safe place, but later I cannot find my safe place. I have a driving passion to search until find them. Paul finally remembered where he left his cloak, books, and his special parchments with Carpus at Troas. He then told Timothy to bring what he had left to him (2Tim. 4:13). As Paul I left my glasses, but where? As the woman, I also must look untilI find them. Everything stops! I sit and think, then look. Where are they? Not on flat places. Not at my favorite chair. Not there, there, or there. Where? Finally, I ask, “Has anyone seen my glasses?” I only get nods and smiles. Why? This has happened many times. Then I give in and go to my wife. She always asks, “When did you have them last?” She joins me and now we cross paths again and again. After all the searching they are just as lost as when I started. Then my subconscious mind finally remembers where I last put them. Guess what? They were “there.” Yea! I rejoice and all rejoice with me.
Well, the shepherd, father, and woman all rejoiced when the lost sheep, lost son, and lost silver were finally found. I then remembered that Jesus Christ came into this world to seek and save that which was lost(Luke 19:10). He was seeking and looking for me when I was 23 years old. I did my part – I ran. He did his part – He caught me. I was lost but He finally found me. He rejoiced! I rejoiced! There is rejoicingin the presence of the angels (Luke 15:10). The Lord told his disciples, “Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). I keep losing my glasses, but I am glad the Lord promises that He would never lose or forsake me – never! (Heb. 13:5). The Lord said, “that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing” (John 6:39). “…Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none” (John 18:9). None and nothing means no-one, no-thing, zero, nada, and zilch.
As John Newton thought about his salvation, he said, “Grace! Amazing!” Yes, it was “Amazing Grace.” Then he said, “I like the sound of that.” He wrote “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I’m found.” He rejoiced as the shepherd rejoicedwhen he found the lost sheep, as the woman rejoiced when she found the lost silver, as the father rejoiced when he found the lost son. I am also rejoicing that my name is now written in Heaven. I once was lost, but now I’m found. The lost have regrets. The found have rejoicing.
Are you lost? Are you found?
