Prayer
Briefly prepare your heart in silence, and ask the Holy Spirit to awaken your sense of anticipation that God is about to speak to you through His Word. Then, before you read, I invite you to pray this prayer based on Psalm 32:7:
I love You, Lord.
You are my Hiding-Place;
my Protector in every time of trouble.
You surround me with Your beautiful songs of deliverance.
I give myself to You afresh today. Amen.
Reading
We reflected on the parable of the lost sheep in Matthew 18:12-14 here. Today we come to another parable of a “lost thing” – the parable of the lost coin.
Commentaries suggest different reasons that this one lost coin might have been so precious to the woman in the parable.
Perhaps it was simply the practical fact that this coin was worth more than a day’s wage at the time. And a day’s wage was absolute treasure to someone living a subsistence lifstyle such as most people did in Jesus’ day. That alone was a reason to search for it so diligently and passionately.
On the other hand, it may have been that this coin was part of a traditional item of jewellery – a chain of ten silver coins worn like a crown on special occasions by married women. These chains of coins were recognised as so important and personally valuable that it was not even permissible to confiscate them to enforce payment of a debt. To lose one coin from that chain was like losing a wedding ring. Again, that would be a reason to search for it diligently and passionately.
Sometimes when we wander off the Jesus-Way and find ourselves bogged down in sinful thoughts, attitudes, words or actions, we can be tempted to believe that all is lost, that we’ve blown it and there is no way back to where Jesus wants us to be. Don’t believe that for a minute! It is a lie from the devil to keep you trapped and defeated.
That coin never stopped belonging to the woman, even when it was lost. And once you belong to Jesus you will never, ever cease be His beloved! If you stumble and fall and get lost along the way, He will search for you until he finds you.
So hear His invitation today:
“Turn back to Me“.
And hear His reassurance at the same time:
“There will be more joy in heaven than you could even imagine when you return to Me!”
Contemplation
Please take time to ponder what Jesus has commanded us. Turn this declaration over and over in your mind. Keep it in mind throughout the day and live in step with Your King, Jesus.
As a disciple of Jesus Christ:
- I will never stop being loved by Jesus.
- I will choose to return to Jesus as soon as I realise I have strayed away.
Lord Jesus, I long never to stray from You; but if I have done so – or if I ever do – please come to find me, and draw me home to YOU! I will choose to return to You at every opportunity. Amen.
Dave's Diary 