By Sister Karissa Jett
Luke 15:3-7
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Have you ever lost anything? Something of great value or something that was very sentimental to you? Do you remember the feeling that came over you when you realized that ‘it’ was gone? Sadly sometimes children, elderly relatives and pets get lost. I assume that maybe you felt feelings of hurt, sadness, anger, despair, frustration, disappointment or a combination of those, knowing that you may never get ‘that thing’ back because you lost it. If it was a person or pet, you may have asked yourself, ‘what if he or she never returns?’ Now on the other hand, when you find something that was lost that you had been searching for it, how does that feel?
One evening while at home I told my daughter to get her shoes so that we could leave to go somewhere. I was in another area getting ready and once I had gotten ready and was heading for the door I called out for her. I said, ‘Jordyn come on let’s go’ but there was no answer. Again I called for her, but still she didn’t answer. In just that quick second my heart started pounding and I dropped my things to look for her, only to find her fast asleep on the couch with her shoes by her feet. She was slumped over on the couch and I couldn’t see her when I passed by the first time. I laughed at myself before I woke her up and said a soft ‘thank you Jesus.’ It only took a minute for me to almost go into a panic when I thought my daughter was gone and I couldn’t find her. I had to laugh at myself because she was right there in the house with me the whole time.
When I think of the goodness of the Lord and reflect on where He has brought me from, I am reminded of the very famous Bible story of the prodigal son found in Luke 15:11-32. In many ways, I compare a period of my life to that younger son – the one who received his inheritance from his father, left home, and in so many words, just simply lost his way. During the past two and a half years of my life I have experienced some things that were not very pleasant and during that process, I too lost my way. Just like the prodigal son, I knew what my Father had for me was a better way, a brighter way, a life filled with love, peace, and joy… but I just couldn’t get myself out of the ‘slump’ that I was in. I wanted to do better and I tried doing so on my own. I am grateful to God for leading me to Holiness Tabernacle as it was hearing the prayers, hearing the Word, and the welcoming arms, testimonies and encouraging words of the people that helped me to overcome and finally return home. Ever since I came back home, my life has changed drastically.
Just like the panic I felt when I thought my daughter was gone, how much more precious are we to God? Oh how it must grieve Him so when we choose to operate outside of His will for our lives and find ourselves ‘lost’. He is always faithful; He will never leave us nor forsake us. He is waiting with His arms wide open. What a mighty God we serve!