Things That are Lost

Teresa Poucher

  I lost a set of keys once; it was a cool spring evening.  I found them the following fall in a coat pocket.  We don’t get lost or lose things on purpose; it happens when we are careless.

 

  In Luke chapter 15, we read of the lost sheep, a lost coin, and a young man we know as “the prodigal son.”

 

  Sheep are very vulnerable, which is why they need a shepherd.  Staying close in a flock keeps them from being singled out and attacked.  Like the lost sheep, when we begin to stray from the flock, we are in danger.  Many times, depression leads to isolation making us exposed to an attack with no one to help.  Sadly, there always seem to be a few Christians who will isolate themselves from their church family.

 

When we look at the parable of the lost coin, we know the lady of the house had to sweep to find her coin. Possibly, some dust or trash might have accumulated, but the coin is still in the house. How can a child of God be lost in His house? By not realizing how valuable they are, as well as what they possess in God. If it had been a penny or a quarter, I don’t think she would have searched so diligently. Could we imagine some of us fall in this category of not recognizing the treasure we are and possess?

 

The prodigal son asks his father to give him his portion of his goods. In my words, “I want what I have coming to me – pronto!”This practice was not the custom in his day, yet his father agrees, knowing it was bad news. We know he squandered everything he had in riotous living. He wound up slopping pigs to survive, and after a while, the slop was looking pretty good to eat.

 

Then he came to himself. He remembered his father’s house; even the servants had it better than he did. He came to a turning point and repented. He went from “give me” to “make me one of the hired servants.”

 

  When we live for God and let God make us what He desires, we will be full of joy and peace.  The glory, glitz, fame, and money don’t match up to what our God has in store for us.

 

If we continue in either of the first two allegories, could we end up like the prodigal son? The prodigal had a brother, making it 50% that was lost. Hmm… “Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”

(Luke 17:35-36)

 

  When anyone isolates or is down, let us encourage and stand in the gap for them, knowing the father is looking for us to come back and restore us.  When we do, all heaven will be rejoicing.

 

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”(Luke 15:20)