October 21
Scripture focus: By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, "He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends." Their grumbling triggered this story.
"Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn't you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, 'Celebrate with me! I've found my lost sheep!' Count on it—there's more joy in heaven over one sinner's rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.”
"Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she'll call her friends and neighbors: 'Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!' Count on it—that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God." Luke 15:1-10 The Message
It is surrender to love that I really resist. I am willing to accept measured doses of love as long as it doesn’t upset the basic framework of my world. That framework is built on the assumption that people get what they deserve. That’s what I really want. I want to earn what I get.
--David G. Benner
David Benner speaks a truth that may have us muttering “Amen!” over, regardless of our denominational affiliation.
Gerald May speaks of the challenge of surrender in his fine book, Addiction and Grace, “You may have noticed that I did not include surrender as part of a consecrated struggle with addiction. This is because we cannot do our own surrenders. To try to turn it over to God prematurely would only be another mind trick, a way of trying to escape responsibility, testing rather than trusting. But indeed God is in it with us all along, and wherever our choices are enabled to remain simple and our intent remains solid, empowerment comes through grace. There is little else we can do except to keep on trying, and looking for God’s invitations and seeking simplicity.” (p.178)
In today’s scripture focus, the shepherd experienced deprivation and longing for his lost sheep. The woman sharply felt the pang of loss when she misplaced her coin. People of doubtful reputation have without doubt lost something of great value.
This loss and deprivation is not an unexpected, wrong or bad thing. Discomfort doesn’t always mean something is wrong with the way we are living our lives. The truth is this – we were never meant to be completely satisfied on this earth.
More on this hard truth tomorrow.
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