Luke 15

Luke 15 instantly reminded me of a child’s most exciting day and possibly the teacher’s scariest day in school…the school tour. Children have a day filled with the excitement of going to school, without having to stay there & work, a coach trip, playtimes, sweets etc. A teacher’s day is slightly different. It is a day filled with long and noisy journeys and endless, desperate counting – imagine losing a child?!

 

In essence, these parables in Luke 15 are all about lost & found – something that we can all identify with, Google has 2,180,000,000 results for “lost & found”.

 

The lost coin and sheep provide a simple picture – losing something that is of tremendous value, a diligent search, followed by great celebration with family and friends. These stories provide wonderful images …

… a shepherd carrying his sheep shoulder high in celebration when he was found

… a father keeping watch, awaiting his youngest son’s return; this for a son who shamed his family and dishonoured his father by stating him dead and claiming his inheritance … this old man saw his son from a distance and ran towards him, arms open wide to welcome him home

 

We are infinitely more important to God, than a coin or a sheep. Jesus tells these stories to give us a glimpse of His father’s heart, a Father to whom we are precious, a Father who longs to be known by those who are lost and broken. A Father who loves and welcomes everyone, despite mistakes, a Father who longs to carry us shoulder high in celebration when we return home.

 

This is a song about the Lost Son …

Naomi Mc