Lost and Found

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 15: 1-7


TO CHEW ON: "...Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep." Luke 15:6

When you lose a favorite toy, do you:
- say, “Oh well, I still have lots of other toys,” then find something else to play with?
- look for that toy for a while, then give up and play with something else?
- look for your favorite toy until you find it?

"The Parable of the Lost Sheep" by Alfred Usher Soord

Jesus told a story of a shepherd with 100 sheep. One day one of his sheep got lost. He left the 99 sheep and looked for the lost one until he found it.

"The Parable of the Lost Sheep" Illustrator of Abbott Illustrated New Testament, 1878

This kind of story is called a parable. It uses ordinary things to teach a spiritual lesson. In this parable about a shepherd and sheep we learn something about God (the shepherd) and people (sheep). What three things does the story teach us?

1. God loves each person.

2. God quickly gives up looking for us.

3. God loves people who do bad things as well as people who try to be good.

4. God is happy when sinners repent (are sorry for sin and turn away from it).

We can be glad God loves everyone, even people who do bad things. He is as happy when sinners repent as the shepherd was when he found his lost sheep.

"The Parable of the Lost Sheep" Illustrator of Abbott Illustrated New Testament, 1878

Has God found you? If not, remember God loves you just as much as the shepherd loved his one lost sheep. Will you let Him find you? There will be a party in heaven when you do!

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You that You care about me as much as the shepherd cared about the one lost sheep. Amen.


SUPERSIZE IT: Finding Lost Things
There are many ways of looking for things. How would you look for:

- a finger ring lost in sand?

- approaching weather systems?

- a lost pet?

- a broken bone in your body?

- a stolen car?

- a lost piece of clothing?


ANSWERS


Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

He's My Neighbor?

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 10:29-37

TO CHEW ON: "...so he asked Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?'” Luke 10:29

One day when Jesus was teaching in the province of Judea Mr. Scripture Expert came to Him with a question. He looked proud of himself as he asked, “What do I do to get eternal life?”

“What’s written in the law (Bible)?” Jesus asked.

“Love the Lord with all your heart ...and love your neighbor as yourself,” Mr. Expert replied.

“Do this and you’ll get that life,” Jesus told him.

“And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus answered that question by telling a story (today’s “Read”). In it bandits robbed and beat up a Jewish man. As he lay unconscious beside the road a priest came along. He saw the beat up traveler and crossed to the other side of the road. A Levite did the same thing. Then along came a Samaritan.

Samaritans were people the Jews hated and avoided. Samaritans hated and avoided the Jews too. But this Samaritan stopped. He saw what bad shape the man was in and he took care of his wounds.

"The Good Samaritan" - Artist unknown

Then the Samaritan loaded the wounded traveler on his donkey and carried him into town.

"The Good Samaritan" by Vincent Van Gogh, 1890

In town the Samaritan checked the traveler into an inn and paid the innkeeper to look after him.

Then Jesus asked Mr. Expert, “Who was a neighbor to the man?”

“The one who had mercy on him,” he replied.

Jesus finished, “You love your neighbor in the same way.”

Why do you think the good Samaritan was called a neighbor to the robbed traveler
a] because he lived next door to the man?
b] because he knew the man?
c] because he was the same race as the man?
d] because he saw the man was in need and helped him?

I’d say it’s d]. And if you think of it, that definition of “neighbor” means we may have many more neighbors than we thought! Who is your neighbor? In what way can you help him or her?

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me to recognize my neighbor and to be willing to help whenever I can. Amen.


SUPERSIZE IT: Being Neighborly
How could you be a neighbor (help out someone who is in need) when:

- Your next-door neighbor is ill and can’t walk her dog

- Your mom is late getting dinner, everyone is hungry and the baby is crying.

- Your friend is still sick after already missing three days of school.

- You see some of your classmates being mean to a little kid on the playground.


Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

A Solid House

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 6:46-49

TO CHEW ON: "As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock." Luke 6:47-48a

Which part of a house is built first:

- the walls?
- the roof?
- the rooms?
- the front porch?
- the foundation?
- the basement?

You probably know that the foundation of a house is the very first thing a builder makes. He usually starts building that foundation by digging a hole. If he can dig down to bedrock and fasten the house’s foundation onto rock, the house will be almost immovable. But if a house’s foundation rests on earth or sand, it can be swept away by floods, toppled by earthquakes and smashed by storms.

One day Jesus told a story of one man who built his house on a rock. Another man built his house on sand. When the storm came, which house stayed standing?

"The house upon the rock and the house upon the sand" by William James Webb

Jesus explained the story. He said those houses on their different foundations are like our lives. When we hear His words and put them into practice, we are building the house of our life on the foundation of solid bedrock. When we hear His words but don’t do them, we’re building our life’s house on sand.

Here are some foundations on which you could build your life. Which one will you choose?

- What other people think.
- Money
- Happiness
- Comfort
- Obeying Jesus’ words.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me to hear, understand and obey Your words. Amen


SUPERSIZE IT: Houses In Many Places
Find out about houses in different places.

- How would you build a house’s foundation in the arctic, where the ground is either frozen solid or thaws to become a bog?

- Why are houses sometimes built on stilts?

- What kinds of houses are built in the dessert?


- What kinds of houses are built in the jungle?


Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's.