Devotion 

The Lost Coin

Frances Taylor 

We all know the story of the lost sheep and the prodigal or lost, son, but do we remember the story of the lost coin which is sandwiched between the two in Luke's Gospel? The ten drachma were most likely the woman's dowry and very important to her. She rejoices with her friends just as Jesus tells us the angels in heaven rejoice over one sinner repenting. I hope the angels rejoice several times a day! These three parables tell us how important it is to repent, to turn our lives around and get back on the right track. I once taught in a juvenile facility where a young man told me he was bad and could never be better than he already was. He was sixteen years old! He had already given up hope. He couldn't see any way out of the life he had been leading. I tried to tell him he wasn't a bad person but had made bad choices. He couldn't believe me. I wondered how many times in his young life he had been called "bad?" I still am bothered when I hear a parent, or anyone else for that matter, call a child "bad." We all have free will and sometimes we use it the wrong way. We are given this gift so that we can choose the good because without free will, we cannot choose to love. We all make bad choices, but would be like to be called "bad?" I don't think so. It's a good thing that God doesn't consider us so bad that we can't turn back to him. Just like the lost sheep, he searches for us until he finds us. Just as the woman who searches for the coin, he searches for us, and just like the "lost" son, he searches and waits for us to come home so that the rejoicing and the celebrating can begin.

Prayer 

Loving and forgiving God, your love for us knows no boundaries. You continue to call us to turn our lives around and live as you call us to live; may we respond in love. Amen.