Lost, Found, Joy

You're about to hear some encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Today's devotional titled Lost Found Joy was written by James Banks. They call me the Ring Master. So far this year, I've found 167 lost rings. During a walk on the beach with my wife Carrie, we struck up a conversation with an older man.

who was using a metal detector to scan an area just below the surf line. Sometimes rings have names on them, he explained, and I love seeing their owner's faces when I return them. I post online and check to see if anyone contacted Lost & Found. I've found rings missing for years.

When we mentioned that I enjoy metal detecting as well but didn't do it frequently, his parting words were, you never know unless you go. We find another kind of search and rescue in Luke 15. Jesus was criticized for caring about people who were far from God. In reply, he told three stories about things that were lost and then found. A sheep, a coin, and a son. The man who finds the lost sheep joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, rejoice with me. All the stories are ultimately about finding lost people for Christ and the joy that comes as they're found in him. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, and he calls us to follow him in loving people back to God. The joy of seeing others turn to him awaits.

We'll never know unless we go. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading comes from Luke chapter 15 verses 1 through 10. Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus, but the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, this man welcomes sinners and eats with them. Then Jesus told them this parable.

There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who do not need to repent. Or suppose a woman has 10 silver coins and loses one. Doesn't she light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, rejoice with me.

I have found my lost coin. In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Let's pray. Thank you, Jesus, for seeking us out and loving us. And would you help us to go now and share you with someone who is lost and desperately in need of your love today? And it's in your name that we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Wes Ward, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.