The Promise

The Promise

Reading the Word

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents” (Luke 15:8–10).

Setting the Scene

Jesus’ next story features a lost coin. Palestinian women would often receive ten silver coins as a wedding gift. These coins held monetary and sentimental value; thus, to lose one would be extremely distressing. The coins were valuable together as a set and individually. When the woman discovers that one of the coins is missing, she lights a lamp and then sweeps every part of the dirt-packed floor. Although the woman still would have nine coins, she continues to look for the tenth. When she finds the missing coin, like the shepherd, she shares her joy.

These “tax collectors and other notorious sinners” (v. 1) with whom Jesus was associating were lost and needed to be found, to have the salvation that Jesus offered.

Getting Personal

Clearly God loves lost people so much that he seeks them and rejoices when they are “found.” Just as the shepherd and the woman took the initiative to search, so Jesus actively seeks lost souls. The sheep, a dumb animal, wandered off, perhaps distracted or seeking greener grass. The coin, an inanimate object, simply fell from the set somehow—no choice or wandering involved. In both cases, however, the seeking began in earnest for the valuable animal and coin.

Amazing—the Creator of the universe thinks we are valuable, that we belong with him and that his “flock” or “coin set” is incomplete without us. And hear this promise: He doesn’t give up on people. He doesn’t give up on you.

• What do God’s actions on your behalf say about how much he values you?
• When have you felt cut-off and helpless like a lost sheep? When have you felt isolated and hidden like a lost coin?
• What did God do—who did he use—to find you and bring you home?

Talking to God

Thank you, Lord, for seeking and pursuing me, for not giving up on me. Too often I give up on people, assuming that they are too far from the Kingdom to be found. Please give me the strength to seek and love them for your sake. Use me.

Adapted from Life Application Study Bible Devotional by Dave Veerman and Neil Wilson (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2011), used by permission.