Spend some time in worship by watching the video and listening to these two songs. 

Let Them See You In Me by Colton Dixon

Less Like Me by Zach Williams

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV — The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — The Father replied, “Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” So they began to celebrate.

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭31‬-‭32‬ ‭NIV — My son, the father said, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”

I’ve included five verses from today’s parable on The Prodigal Son. You can read the full chapter @biblegateway. Celebration and food are often two things that go together. Every year we celebrate holidays, births, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, reunions, and life. Take a moment to envision the celebration over the prodigal son returning. We know how each son felt over this celebration. The one who wandered didn’t feel worthy. The one who stayed didn’t feel his brother was worthy. The father’s love was greater and he chose to forgive, love, and celebrate his son. 

Thankfully our God doesn’t look to our past mistakes. He sees us all as His children, worthy of His forgiveness, love, and celebration.

Let’s pray. Heavenly Father, thank You for celebrating me even when I do not feel worthy. Thank You for forgiving and loving me. Help me to show that same forgiveness and love to those around me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Often our family likes to celebrate with my easy lasagna recipe.

1 bag of frozen cheese ravioli

1 lb of italian ground sausage

1 jar of preferred spaghetti sauce

1 2-cup bag of preferred shredded cheese

Instructions: Thaw frozen ravioli. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook ground sausage. Mix prepared sausage with spaghetti sauce. Layer ravioli, sauce, and cheese. Sprinkle any remaining cheese on top. Bake for 20 minutes.

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV — Suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Have you ever lost something so precious to you? What lengths did you go to find it? I once lost my great grandmother’s wedding ring. For weeks I searched for it. I would pray for God to open my eyes to the ring’s location. One day I saw something shiny in the driveway. It was the ring, unscathed. It was perfectly positioned in between the tires of my husband’s car. Just like Jesus and the lost sheep, I rejoiced when I found it.

Can you envision the angels of God rejoicing when one sinner repents? I imagine the angels singing a thousand hallelujahs. Even after we are saved, God continually rejoices over us with singing. We read in Zephaniah 3:17 NIV — The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.

Let’s pray. Dear God, with a thousand hallelujahs I magnify Your name. Thank You and Your angels for singing and rejoicing over me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
I encourage you to worship with A Thousand Hallelujahs by Brooke Ligertwood.

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

It is not surprising that Jesus used the illustration of sheep in this parable. Just like humans, sheep are very vulnerable creatures. We both long for a shepherd to guide us. Although at times we stray, our greatest command is to love. That reckless love is what guides us in seeking and desiring to be sought. We read in Psalm 119:176 NIV – I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands. 

Sunday I encouraged you to listen to Reckless Love by Cory Asbury. The chorus sings, “Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending reckless love of God. Oh, it chases me down, fights ’til I’m found, leaves the 99.” Will you allow God to seek you? Or will He have to chase you? As you sit in God’s presence today, stay a while. Try not to focus on running to your next task. 

Let’s pray. Dear God, I desire to be fully present at Your feet. Seek me for I have not forgotten Your commands. Thank You for the overwhelming, never-ending reckless love that only You can give. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

What do you think of when you hear or read SOS? It is Morse Code that was created in the 1830’s. USA Today published an article on the history of SOS and how it has evolved over the years. One of the original meanings stood for “seeking you, distress.” In today’s parable, Jesus leaves the ninety-nine to search for one lost sheep. Just as we seek God to rescue us in our time of SOS, God is continually seeking to rescue us.

Sunday I encouraged you to listen to “Rescue” by Lauren Daigle. The opening lyrics sing, “You are not hidden,” “Never been a moment you were forgotten,” and “You are not hopeless.” It is a beautiful thought to think that we are never hidden from God. Are your eyes open to the ways you are sought by God? You are not forgotten! You are not hopeless! You are loved unconditionally!

Let’s pray. Dear God, I desire to be sought by You. Thank You for rescuing me with Your unconditional love. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Today I encourage you to either read and meditate on the chapters below, or pull out your paper Bible to read Luke 15:1-32 or @biblegateway.

Parable of the Lost Sheep

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Parable of the Lost Coin

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭8‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV — Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Parable of the Lost Son

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭11‬-‭32‬ ‭NIV — Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “ ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’