The Piece

We have been on a month-long treasure hunt at our house! My son has lost his Mario Bros. DS game and has been very upset about it. If any of you know him, you know he LOVES his video games. Just about every morning he asks me when he wakes up," Moma, are we gonna find my game today?" I tell him that we just have to keep looking for it and we prayed to find it. But, still no game has turned up! So, it continues on.When studying for my Sunday school lesson this week, the Lord brought this to my mind.It was the parable of the lost sheep and coin found in Luke 15.

As you may know, parables are "earthly" stories that the Lord used to teach us "heavenly" or spiritual truths. The Lord taught a great deal by these parables, and some of them are my favorite portions of Scripture. It has always amazed me how the Lord used everyday examples to teach us something, and the simplicity of them. Luke 15:3-7 tells of the shepherd who had 100 sheep and lost one of them.This shepherd left the 99 and searched until he found it. We would think with 99 others that losing only one would not have seemed that important. But, vs 5 says,".. that when he hath found it, he LAYETH IT ON HIS SHOULDERS, REJOICING!" The shepherd responded as if this was the only sheep he had! It is the same way with us when Jesus, Our Great Shepherd saves us from sin. Multitudes had been saved before us ,and he has an untold number in His fold, but he loved us SO much, that he treated us as His only child that had been lost and is now found. II Peter 3:9 says that Jesus is, "...not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." EVERY SOUL that God has created is precious to Him and not one is better than the other, for God is no respecter of persons, (Acts 10:34). He loves us and wants to save us from eternal death, sin, and fear. He cares for us as well. Verse 5 says he laid the sheep on his shoulders. We were in a helpless state and could not come to Him on our own. HE was the one that sought us out. "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:10.

The second parable He used when teaching this truth was of a woman that had 10 pieces of silver-the equivalent of 10 cents in Roman money. She had lost one silver piece, or 1 cent. How many of us bother to pick up a penny when we see it on the ground? Not many. Some would say it's just a penny and good for nothing. Others think it takes pennies to make dollars. But, to the woman, this money was her TREASURE. She did not take one piece for granted.She lit a candle and even swept the whole house to find the missing piece. Nothing was left  unturned until it was found.  Jesus considers us His Jewels or treasure as well. Malachi 3:17,'...in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." Also in Matthew 13:45&46, Jesus tells of a man that gave all he had to find a pearl of great price. This is how Jesus sought us out.He left the throne of Heaven to come and seek out our lost soul, the missing piece. He held nothing back in His love toward us. He considers us His missing piece that completes his fold, or His treasure. It NEVER grows old to the Lord whenever another missing piece is found. Luke 15:7 says, "I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth...".

Thank the Lord if you are saved, that you ONCE were lost, but now are FOUND.Thank God that He came and looked for you when you couldn't come to him. If you are still a lost piece, you can be found. John 3:16 says, " For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." Then, the Lord will say of you, "Rejoice with me; for I have found THE PIECE...". (Luke15:9)!