Based on Luke 14. 1-10
Has anyone here ever misplaced anything?
Glasses?
Remote?
Keys?
Maybe even money? Purse or wallet?
I knew where it was just a minute ago…as a matter of fact I had it right here in my hand, and now it’s gone!
I was looking for my Social Security Card just this morning…I know I put it away some place so that I could later find it…
Do you think I remember where I put it?
No, not me.
It is misplaced.
I cannot tell you – how often I look for glasses…just where did I put them…
It is so easy to do…
Here one minute and gone the next.
In its simplest form…this is a story about God’s pursuit of us.
He wants us.
He loves us.
We belong to him.
We are his.
He seemingly wants nothing more than to have us be with him (where he is) forever and ever.
And the Bible tells us – that God does not just sit around all day twiddling his thumbs – waiting for us to come to Him.
He is active.
He is involved.
He pursues.
He searches.
He looks for us…and he waits for us to be united with him.
He is a God who cares.
A God who loves us that much…
And in our Gospel text for today we are given two quick examples….
The first is about a shepherd…who is taking care of 100 sheep…
And in counting them, one is missing…one must be lost…
So he does the unthinkable….
He leaves the 99 and searches out the 1
Because each and every one of them is that important.
NO ONE is unimportant in God’s sight….
Now, we know, that no one would leave 99 in search of 1 – and yet God does, this is his way/ this is the divine way…
So to, in a story about a woman who loses one of ten coins….
She searches diligently…
No stone is left unturned…
She looks…
She seeks…
And ultimately, she rejoices when she finds it…
Yippee!!!! Her day is made. She is so very happy.
And that is exactly – how it is God – when people come back or come to Him.
He rejoices!
His love overflows!
But most importantly, his love overflows for us.
What I want you to remember from today is…that God loves you very much…
And he is constantly looking after you!