Somebody's Daughter

Daily Reading: Luke 15

Scripture Focus: 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. (Luke 15.4-7)

Devotional Thought: Someone once said of this parable, “You already have 99 sheep. What’s so important about having 100?” The response? “That 100th one is very important if it’s your daughter…” The fact of the matter is, the 100th sheep is somebody’s daughter, somebody's son.

Just before the service, when our choir at Bethel Nazarene presented The Night before Christmas, Lana called upon our choir members to pray “sentence prayers” to prepare our hearts for the performance. One of those “sentence pray-ers” was a young lady who had recently started attending our church. She had responded to Lana’s invitation to join the choir while her children were in the children’s programming. Little by little she came to experience the love of Jesus through the people of God. “Somebody’s daughter” was the 100thsheep! I was so proud to hear her pray from her heart before the cantata. How I rejoiced! Her journey is just beginning, but “what was lost is found.”

Every lost sheep, every lost coin, every lost son or daughter is valuable to God! God gave his Son that our sons and daughters may have everlasting life. Every time one of them comes to Jesus, the angels throw a party in heaven! So, I say, “Let’s bring a lost daughter home, and let's have a party!”

Prayer: Jesus, I was that lost sheep. Thank you for finding me and bringing me home. Show me your lost sheep - both daughters and sons - and use me to bring them home. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: 1 Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, 2 who plan evil things in their heart and stir up wars continually. 3 They make their tongue sharp as a serpent's, and under their lips is the venom of asps. Selah 4 Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men, who have planned to trip up my feet. 5 The arrogant have hidden a trap for me, and with cords they have spread a net; beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah 6 I say to the LORD, You are my God; give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O LORD! (Psalms 140:1-6)