“He Was
Lost And Is Found”
Then Jesus said, “There was a man who
had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the
share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property
between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled
to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living.
When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that
country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of
the citizens of that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired
himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields
to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the
pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he
said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but
here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to
him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer
worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”’ So he
set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw
him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and
kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and
before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said
to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe – the best one – and put it on him;
put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And
get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of
mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to
celebrate.”
Luke 15:11-24
In the Old Testament, people were
contaminated when they came in contact with certain animals, carcasses, or the
sick. But Jesus reversed the process. Rather than becoming contaminated by what
was unclean, He made the unclean whole.
Because of God’s great grace, we can be
agents of His holiness, for He now dwells within us. We can seek, as Jesus did,
for ways to be a source of holiness. The sick and the maimed are not hot spots
of contamination but potential reservoirs of God’s mercy. We are called to
extend that mercy, to be conveyors of grace, not avoiders of contagion.
No one
is beyond the reach
of God’s grace.
Our
Daily Bread – March 11, 2008