Lectionary Readings: Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28; Psalm 14; 1Timothy 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-10.
“…there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” Luke 15:7
I don’t like stopping to ask for directions. If I’m traveling to a new place, I’d rather anticipate where I’m going and research the maps or directions from someone who has been there before. And before computer programs like “Map-Quest” I enjoyed being a member of AAA so that I could request the “trip-tiks” and all the travel brochures. Now that there are GPS systems in cars and phones, I have to rely on stopping for those directions even less. So, one would suppose that I would never be lost again. How wrong could anyone be!!! I continue to get lost by not getting those directions first. Every time I think I already “know” where I’m going and set off on my own without getting directions, I lose my way. When I allow myself to think that I am independent of assistance, I am lost!
The Gospel lesson for this week reminds us of the shepherd who lost one member of his flock. He had 99 sheep safely corralled, but he left these to search for only one who was lost. The next part of Luke 15 relates the story of the lady who threw a party because she found one lost coin. And Luke tells us in both instances their neighbors and friends were so happy for them, but that the angels of heaven will be even more joyful when a sinner repents.
These examples support the mysterious ways in which God interacts with us in the world. If left to human inclinations, we might be content with our flock of 99 or our bank account of 9 remaining coins. We are reluctant to ask for God’s direction for our path and then even more reluctant to follow God’s plan when we get a glimpse of it. We, like the sheep and the coin are lost. God is searching for us with constant and abiding love. In order for God to “find” us, we must surrender—to admit that we are lost and cannot find our true direction by ourselves. When we allow God to “find” us, we become the cause for heavenly rejoicing. God uses each moment to reach out to us. We tend to ignore the whispered voice and the knocks on our hearts. However, God continues to use everyone in our path and every circumstance as a means of contact. No matter our imperfections and brokenness—all can be used to further “God’s Plan”.
We sang this hymn last Sunday during communion and I was moved by the line: Let us be bread, broken and shared. In order to fulfill God’s plan we surrender ourselves as we are, in whatever condition or state of wholeness and we will be “found” and saved to become a blessing.
Broken and shared, life for the world.
Let us be wine, love freely poured.
Let us be one in the Lord.
Words by Thomas Porter #2260 in the Faith We Sing
Dear Shepherd of this worldly flock, We thank you for your persistence in gaining our attention and saving us from our pride and self-reliance in not asking for assistance. We are sorry for ignoring your message and for not following your directions for us. We thank you for the gift of amazing grace which “saved a wretch like me…I once was lost, but now I’m found”. Heal us from our tendencies toward stubbornness and apathy so that we might live as one loved by God to share that love with the world. Open our hearts to understand the path we are to take and the mission we are meant to accomplish. AMEN.
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