I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. Luke 15:18 NABRE
Jesus tells three parables about things lost; a lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son. In the case of the lost sheep, the shepherd leaves behind ninety-nine others to look for the one sheep. In the case of the lost coin the widow obsesses finding the coin, tossing her home and when she does find the coin she celebrates with a party. In the case of the son, we read he treats his father as if he is dead, wanting his inheritance. He takes what he is given and goes away. Spending all the money, he ends up poor and feeding pigs. Realizing his mistake he makes a confession, as we see in the quoted verse. This son realizes on his own that he is lost and will seek forgiveness from the father and hope he will be welcome back, even if just as a hired hand. The father sees his son coming and runs to greet him and reestablish him as his son, honoring him, and providing all he needs, a loving father giving all he has. For the son this is new life, a sort of resurrection that Jesus models on Easter morning. The son reflects on what he is doing and where he has been and he repents, changing his heart. His confession, is not casual, he rehearses it and greets his father with it.
Jesus of course is telling this story so we will know our heavenly Father is the one who will come running to us once he discovers we have realized we are lost and want to be found. There is no greater celebration than the celebration of a found child of God. In the story the father throws a feast for his returned son. Jesus says all the heavenly hosts rejoice when someone lost is now found.
Have you been lost? Do you want to be reconnected?
There is no greater celebration than the celebration of a found child of God. In the story the father throws a feast for his returned son, as God does for every found child. Share on X#bible’#godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #lost #found #Luke #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #pray #prayer #goodnews #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways