When my dad would give his testimony there was always a point where he would say, “And as that man walked away, I saw myself! I saw myself for who I was. I ran to my room and fell on my knees. I heard my Momma’s voice, ‘Polly! Just call on Jesus!’”
The man my dad referred to was a new patient who had been admitted to the state hospital to be detoxed from his alcoholism. Dad had been there a few weeks and was feeling pretty good. This man had the shakes real bad. Dad loaned him a few things and as the man walked away dad saw himself.
My Grandma Flossie had been in Heaven for over 10 years. She had a testimony of loving God, taking her children to church, and teaching them the Bible.
My dad came to himself that day. He called on Jesus and a few weeks later he walked out of that hospital a completely new man.
In Luke 15 we have three parables about the lost. The shepherd seeks until he finds the sheep. The woman searches diligently. The Father waits. Just waits.
Until recently I had never completely understood why the father did not go after the son.
It seems to me there are different types of lost people. Imagine that! We are all unique. 😉
Those who are wandering like the sheep and do not realize how far they have gone from God. Misguided souls, we could call them.
Those who are misplaced. Maybe someone in the church made them feel set aside. Maybe there was a bit of scrambling around and they got shoved in a corner. Just maybe they were put on a shelf by some well meaning folks.
Then there are those who choose to make their own way. They take what is theirs and one day they are gone. Far from the Father.
Which lost soul were you?
Were you that lost, wandering misguided soul? The Shepherd sought diligently for you until you were found!
Were you a misplaced coin? Part of a church family where no one really understood your worth or purpose? Oh! But Jesus entered, lit a candle, and cleaned house until you were found.
Or were you that eager child? Hungry to make your own way in the world? Demanding your portion, wasting your wealth, living it up and spending it all?
Once you reached the lowest point ever in your life you came to yourself.
“And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!”
Luke 15:17
Your own way left you so spiritually hungry you felt you would die. You returned home feeling completely unworthy and found a waiting, rejoicing Father.
My personal testimony is very different than my dad’s testimony. The same Gospel but different stories. We were both lost, but now we are found!!!
Loser Bible Study Series Theme Verse:
“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.” Mark 8:35
“Lose” from the Greek word “Apollymi” means “to destroy fully.” It is translated perish in Luke 15:17, our verse for today.
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