“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear Him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This Man receives sinners and eats with them.’ So He told them this parable: ‘What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”‘
(Luke 15:1-10 ESV)
You can just see the happiness of these people. The man has back his sheep—the woman has found her coin again. And for both of them, their first reaction is to be happy—and to throw a party. Their joy isn’t complete until there are other people to share it.
I find it interesting that God apparently feels the same way. I mean, we are His lost sheep, His lost coins. And He came into this world as the Man Christ Jesus in order to die for us and rise for us, so that He could bring us back to Himself forever. So far, so good. But why the party? Why not be happy alone?
There seems to be something in God, just as there is in us, that wants to share joy. Something that is never completely happy unless others are happy, too. With God, this may be a reflection of the Trinity, because of course He is both One and Three at the same time. But still God created the angels, and one of their purposes is apparently this: to witness and share in God’s joy when one of us—even the least of us—comes to faith in Jesus.
How amazing that is, that God would be so happy about us! How wonderful, that the angels of God would join in that celebration, even though we aren’t the same kind as them, and they have no reason to care except for love!
But this is love—that God Himself, having lost us, would come down into our world searching for us, and bring us home by the means of His own life, death, and resurrection. This is love, that God, having found us, would show us off with joy to the other inhabitants of creation, not as the sorry creatures we feel like, but as His treasure—His beloved people. You, you personally, are a cause of joy to God. You make Him happy, because He has found you.
Prayer: Dear Father, thank You for honoring me by making me a cause of Your joy. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on September 8, 2022
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights reserved
Reflection Questions:
1. When have you found something you had lost?
2. How did you react when you found it?
3. How does it make you feel to know that you are a cause of God’s joy?