“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbours’ together, saying ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15 vs 8-10)
This is something so short and sweet just like the parable.
On my first reading of this parable, I thought ‘oh wow, this is great news, she lost a coin, and searched for it and now she has found it!’ – End of story. However, it is deeper than just that analogy because it is more than losing a coin and going through the process of finding it.
Let’s see it from this perspective as the woman who lost the coin being Jesus and the coin being us… Jesus is our Shepherd as it says in Psalm 23 and we are His sheep. If one of us goes astray or even missing, He will do all that He can to bring us back on track and to find us. God does not pick or choose who He wants to save neither does He have favourites. The lost coin is evidently us and the ‘friends’ who are called together are those in heaven. I am sure you get the hint already, when it comes to saving your soul God is prepared to go to the end of the earth to win you back on His side. Although let’s get deeper and bring things down to earth and within our day to day life?
Ask yourself these questions- How have you fought for the saving of your soul? How have you been in saving someone you know? What have you done extra this week to see someone know the God you know?
We are all always busy with our own lives and doing what we need to do to conquer the physical blessings and improving our status in life. But when we stop for a minute, you know, slow down to analyse our life before God what is our reaction? Do we stop and deeply analyse or do we just do whatever and move on, saying in our minds ‘I’m sure God understands’ Or do we move in such a radical faith like the woman in the verse above does. She didn’t hesitate to question her realisation; she didn’t doubt that God will see her through to finding the lost coin. She immediately lit her lamp, swept her whole house and searched carefully until she found it. This is the same we need to do when it comes to realising that we are far gone into our own lives and neglected putting God as number one. First thing you do is ask for forgiveness ‘switching on the light’ , second thing is understanding what you have been putting before God and drive it all out ‘sweeping the whole house’ and lastly searching for a better relationship with God and not just one with yourself and the physical things ‘searching carefully’.
The same can be applied to a friend that you see is moving far from God. Bring the light of God to them, help them to realise their wrong doings before God then telling them the advantage of removing these things and finally searching for God carefully so that they can have this same experience you had with God.
Lastly, it is said in the verse that there was a celebration. A celebration is done when something great happens. The consequence of you or a friend returning to God not only makes you happy and at peace but most importantly it causes God and His angels to have a celebration because ‘a sinner has been brought back to God’ …now imagine what the atmosphere in Hell is like if the heavens are rejoicing. I am sure it is clear in your mind.
A challenge for you and me:
It is nearly Sunday and what greater Joy would it be to God when you bring a lost soul back to Him?
I challenge you, who have slowed down in your walk with God to go to church on Sunday and reconcile with Him, I also challenge you reading this and you say ‘Sarah my walk with God is strong’ then that is great! But my challenge to you is to bring a friend, a lost soul, who doesn’t go to church, or regard God as first anymore and invite them to your Sunday service so that they can also receive the light that you have.
Stay blessed and push yourself to be the light that shines in this world for God.
Guest Contributor – Sarah Ogilo
