01/29/2021
Lost Coins
(Jesus said) "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents." - Luke 15:8-10
In this parable our Lord Jesus tells me a truth. He lets me know that I was a lost coin.
Once upon a time, somewhere in a corner, in the darkest corner of a room, hidden from sight, I was on the floor, unnoticed. Do you know why? It was because of my sin, my rebelliousness, and disobedience. Being a mere coin, I had no thought, no desire to be found.
There I was destined to stay: a lonely coin, alone in the darkness.
But the Lord did not wish to have me stay this way. Untiringly, both day and night, He searched for me. He searched by lighting the candle, sweeping the house, seeking diligently. He never gave up on me, a poor sinner. He wanted me back where I belonged. He wanted me back, and He reached out to me.
Working with Lutheran Hour Ministries in India, I see many lost coins. One such person—he shall remain nameless—came from a small town on the outskirts of Chennai. By faith, he was not a Christian; he was a follower of Islam, and he had a nice, small family.
He made his living as a daily wage earner. Tragically, a wrong friendship made him an addict to liquor. Over time, his life became miserable; he became a source of pity as, every evening, he lay drunk in the gutter. His wife, parents, and friends pleaded with him to get away from this evil. Still, nothing was strong enough to change this young man's life. That is, until, one evening, he came home a bit early from his job.
You should know LHM-India has a youth club in that slum to encourage young people. Every evening, the boys and girls gather for games and other activities. They also have a prayer time together. On this day, our young man watched youngsters playing a game called "carom board." (It's a game like tabletop billiards.) He became interested in it and, eventually, he joined in.
For the first time in a long while, this young man was happy and forgot about drinking. Days passed with him attending the game and praying with us in the evening. Soon, he completely abandoned the habit of drinking.
The man's wife noticed his changed life and the intriguing word of hope he shared about Jesus. In time, the Holy Spirit worked in her heart, and she received Jesus as her Savior, too. Today, the man's whole family has come to faith in Jesus.
God's search for one lost coin led Him to find many others as well.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for looking for us, even when we're in very dark places. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
1. Have you ever felt alone and beyond hope?
2. Why does Jesus often speak of things being lost and then found?
3. When was the last time you gave directions to someone who was truly lost? Where were they going?
Taken from a message by Rev. P. Chelladurai, a volunteer with Lutheran Hour Ministries in India,
LHM.org
--
Rev. Rick Stark
Trinity Lutheran Church
San Diego, CA.
