But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found. Luke 15:32 NABRE
Jesus tells stories about how important it is to His Father to find the lost, people who have been followers and somehow experienced loss in their faith and God’s love. He tells three stories, a lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son. The lost son asks for his inheritance before his father dies, taking it he squanders it all. Falling on hard times he wishes to return to his father’s home even as a simple worker. At his return the father runs to greet him and throws a celebration. The father is overjoyed that the son who was dead in his eyes is now alive, lost and found. A branch in the story is the reaction of the older brother; he is offended at the return of his brother and the celebration in his honor. There isn’t enough information to understand why the older brother is so offended; weight surmise there must be some jealousy, perhaps a feeling of being put second or thinking his brother is the father’s favorite, or perhaps, he is offended that he had to stay and help run the land while the younger son went off and lived a freedom the older brother desired. No matter the reason, we see a common reaction, even in Christian circles. God through His mercy forgives and gives to all who He desires and sometimes we don’t think that is “fair.”
We are faithful followers, with God always, why should a lost person receive so much of God’s joy, after all they ran away in the first place. God is a generous lover, we lose nothing if God celebrates finding the lost. We need to learn to be as happy as God over those found, in fact we need to work to seek them ourselves.
How do you feel about celebrating those found? Who are you in the story, older son, younger son or the father?
God is a generous lover, we lose nothing if God celebrates finding the lost. We need to learn to be as happy as God over those found, in fact we need to work to seek them ourselves. Click To Tweet#bible #godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #lost #son #Luke #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #cross #last #Matthew #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways