Daily devotional · May 28
Searching for the Lost Coin
“Or what woman who has ten silver coins and loses one of them does not light a lamp, sweep her house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls together her friends and neighbors to say, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.””
A woman loses one of ten silver coins, and she lights a lamp, sweeps the house, and searches carefully until she finds it. When she does, she calls her neighbors to rejoice with her. Jesus says heaven celebrates the same way over one sinner who turns to God. It is a very small story about a small object, and that is precisely its point: God cares about what seems minor and lost. The coin did nothing to be found; the woman did all the searching. We are sought before we seek. That should be comforting to anyone who feels overlooked or too far gone. Today, thank God that he searches for you. Then think of someone who has drifted from faith or from the community, and reach out with no lecture, just warmth. You may be part of how the lamp gets lit.
Prayer
God, thank you for seeking me when I was lost. Use me to bring warmth to someone who has drifted.