Reflections From Sunday Evening

We have been looking at Jesus' parables in Luke 15. We saw how Jesus teaches us that if there are 99 sheep safe in the fold and one goes missing that the shepherd goes in search of the lost until he finds it. Jesus also tells about a woman with 10 silver coins who finds one missing and then shines a light and sweeps the house until the lost coin is found. The point is God searches for that which is lost. When we talk about the "lost" we are talking about those who are lost from God's intended purpose and place in the heart of God. We refer to those who find themselves separated - by varying degrees - from the love of God. Jesus would make statements like "the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which is lost." Certainly Jesus would not use derogatory terms to refer to anyone but he will do everything to find those who are missing from God's intended purpose and grace. The Church can do no less. Today I referenced John Wesley's words to his preachers...We have nothing to do but save souls. We search for those who are lost to God's purposes. We are charged with the cure of souls. The church is a place where hope rises. The church is a place where wholeness is experienced. The church rejoices when the lost are discovered and saved. We can spend some time thinking of ways to shine the light of truth and grace into a dark world. We can think of ways to sweep and stir up the dust until the lost coins are found. It truly is good news to know we have a God who loves us, searches for us and will not stop until He finds us. It's been a good day. I hope you've had a good day too. steve