April 19 2025

Saturday April 19

The Joy of Finding the Lost Silver

Luke 15:8-10

8 "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!' 10 Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Picture a woman in a dimly lit Palestinian home, realizing one of her ten silver coins is missing. These coins were more than money, they formed a headband worn by a bride, a symbol of her marriage, like a wedding ring. Losing one was a crisis. So, she lights a lamp, grabs a broom, and searches every corner, sweeping away dust and peering into shadows. When she finally finds that glinting coin, her joy overflows. She calls her friends and neighbors, shouting, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece I lost!”

In the first parable of Luke 15, the shepherd seeking the lost sheep shows us Jesus, the Good Shepherd, pursuing a foolish lost sinner far from God. This second parable, the lost coin, offers another layer. The coin, still in the house but hidden in the dirt, can picture a believer who has lost their usefulness to God, perhaps through sin, neglect, distraction, or carelessness.

The woman represents the Holy Spirit, who brings the light of God’s Word to expose hidden sin, sweeps the heart clean through conviction, and restores the believer to fellowship with the Lord. Every person, sinner or saint, bears God’s image, like a coin stamped with a king’s likeness. Even when sin mars that image, God sees their worth and pursues them.

Jesus says heaven rejoices when one sinner repents, but this parable also hints at the joy when a believer is restored. Angels celebrate when a lost soul comes to Christ or when a wayward Christian returns to God’s purpose. This challenges us to see everyone, unbelievers and struggling believers alike, as precious to God, worth seeking and restoring.

This parable reveals God’s heart for both the lost sinner and the believer who’s drifted. If you feel far from God today, maybe as a believer who’s lost your spiritual fire, know that the Holy Spirit is searching for you, ready to restore you with the light of His Word. If you’re walking closely with God, you’re called to join this mission.

People around you, friends, coworkers, or even fellow Christians, may be like that lost coin, in God’s house but not shining for Him. You can help by sharing the truth of Scripture, praying for their restoration, or encouraging them to return to fellowship. (Read Galatians 6:1-5).

This also challenges our attitudes. The religious leaders grumbled when Jesus welcomed sinners. Jesus was saying that God actually searches for lost sinners! No wonder the scribes and Pharisees were offended, for there was no place in their legalistic theology for a God like that. They had forgotten that God had sought out Adam and Eve when they had sinned and hidden from God (Gen. 3:8-9). In spite of their supposed knowledge of Scripture, the scribes and Pharisees forgot that God was like a father who pitied his wayward children (Ps. 103:8-14).

Do we ever judge those who’ve wandered, whether unbelievers or believers caught in sin? God pursues both with equal love, and we must too. Let’s be vessels of the Holy Spirit, bringing light and hope to those who need it. James ended his epistle with these words: “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20).

Challenge: 

Be a light this week and identify one person who seems far from God, either an unbeliever or a believer who’s drifted. Pray for them daily, asking the Holy Spirit to shine His light and restore them. Look for one chance to show kindness, share a Scripture, or invite them to reconnect with God, maybe through a conversation or a church invitation. Then, watch for God to work and be ready to rejoice when He does.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for pursuing us when we’re lost, whether as sinners or believers who’ve wandered. Fill us with Your Spirit to shine Your Word and restore others to You. Give us boldness this week to pray, love, and reach out. May we join heaven’s joy over every restored soul. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God bless!