Lost and found

https://odb.org/2026/04/21/lost-but-now-found

Luke 15:8–10 (NIV): 8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

When I visited Ecuador’s Amazon region with my father many years ago, we took a fun speedboat ride to a small village to take in the sights and learn about the local tribes. My dear dad bought me handmade jewelry, including a set of earrings. I only wore those earrings on special occasions, including when I went to visit my sister for my birthday. When I came back from my trip, I was horrified to discover I’d lost one of my earrings. I looked everywhere.

It was just an earring, but I’d have to travel all the way back to the Amazon jungle to replace it. Amazingly, when my sister returned to the restaurant we had visited for my birthday, she spotted my missing earring in their lost and found. I was overjoyed! (Nancy Gavilanes, Our Daily Bread 21st April 2026)

Jesus uses this metaphor of having lost something precious and finding it to describe the joy in heaven when a sinner repents and accepts Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Jesus teaches this with the parables of the Lost Coin (today’s Scripture) and the Lost Sheep. The LORD God, our Heavenly Father, is genuinely happy and glad when we turn from our selfish ways to follow Him as illustrated by His joy when the Israelites chose to obey His law. He gladly becomes their God and is benevolent towards them, providing both protection and blessings. The psalmist uses the phrase “under the shadow of His wings” to describe the LORD’s love, mercy and grace.

Jesus also uses the parable of the Prodigal Son to teach about those turning from their wayward ways. That parable could be applied to sinners coming to Jesus for the first time but more towards believers returning to Christ after wandering off to pursue their own dreams and ambitions. The rejoicing in heaven is illustrated by the Father throwing a feast and killing the fatten calf (reserved for special celebrations) to celebrate the return of the wayward son.

This morning, we need to be reminded that we are precious to God. But most importantly, we remain precious to God and will always be precious to Him. Like every father, God longs for His children to be close to Him. For earthly fathers, that’s the meaning of family. Your children close by or living with you. Interacting and eating together daily. That’s the ideal as parents will not live forever in the natural course of life (that is, barring Jesus returning during our lifetime). So while we are still on earth, we want to spend our remaining time with our flesh and blood, the ones who are precious to us.

If we have drifted away from God, it’s time to return. We are precious to God. If we haven’t known God, accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour now. Don’t hesitate and wait anymore. You are precious to God and as you turn to God, there will be much joy and rejoicing in heaven! The blessings and providence of God will be upon you. The LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – the Great I Am – Jehovah Elohim, will be your God! His love and grace will be upon you! Amen!