30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 15 8-10 To seek and to save the lost - part II The lost coin 06 One with God in His joy
📖 Luke 15:8-10
10Feb2020 - *One with God in His joy* - _Luke 15:8-10_ - Bible reading: _Luke 2:8-10_
_Luke 15:8-10 “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."_
God had made all things well and complete and then we read that one coin was lost. This relates to man being lost. The whole of creation too is languishing because man is not fulfilling his responsibility of a regent/viceroy of God’s creation. God’s heart is breaking over His creation and He is on the task to bring man and all of creation back into a relationship with Him. As much as Jesus is the light, He has made us, His disciples to be lights in the world. Just as the woman lit the lamp, sought for the lost coin by sweeping the house and searched carefully, we too need to be doing the work of seeking and saving the lost, with much care.
God’s joy is in man being restored to an intimate relationship with Him. This is His joy and all of heaven rejoices with the Lord in His joy. When the angels were sent to inform the shepherds of the birth of Jesus, it was not just an information of the birth of the Saviour it was to share with man, the joy of the Lord. _Luke 2:10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people._
God does not have pleasure in the death of the wicked. Look at how we have become. We want evil people to suffer for all the evil that they have done. Whereas, God’s heart does not want the evil man to die but to return to Him and enjoy the fullness of life. _Ezekiel 33:11 Say to them: 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'_
We see an example of this in king Manasseh. We read that he was an evil king. _II Chronicles 33:9 So Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel._ But king Manasseh repented. _II Chronicles 33:12-13 Now when he was in affliction, he implored the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, (13) and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God._
Man must repent and turn to Him. God does not want anyone to perish in hell, which is prepared for the devil and his angels. God desires that man must repent and come into His joy, and with man, all of creation too must rejoice in His presence. _Revelation 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!"_
We need to be one with Jesus, who share with Him in His joy of finding and restoring the lost. Sadly, today, when we look at the lives of the majority of God’s people, it seems as though we have lost the passion for the lost. We have a divided heart. We are more worried about our own day to day to issues of life, rather than the things that give joy to the heart of God.
*Thought to ponder*
```Lord give me an undivided heart to be one with you, in your joy. Amen.```