Reckless Love

This is what my day off looks like most of the time doesn't it? Coffee, sitting outside, cuddling up to my puppy... who thankfully didn't die this week! (I had to take her to the animal hospital Sunday night after she ate a macadamia nut...it's been a rough week)

Anyway, I'm beginning to think a lot of the photos on my blog have two stars: my kindle and my coffee.

I want to talk about what I read yesterday. I was so tired last night I could barely keep my eyes open long enough to read let alone blog. I asked my sister to read a loud so I could at least stay on track.

I love Luke 15. The shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to go after the one, the woman who tears her house apart for the one coin, and the father who holds his son so tenderly both in his rejection and his return.

When I was in college a group of us were in class discussing these three stories, specifically the woman searching for her coin. There were a lot of theories offered up as to why this was a parable. What are the coins? Why do they matter so much? It was a collection of ideas from old youth pastors, Sunday morning sermons, and individual research. Maybe the woman was poor! Or maybe, there was a story about how women used to wear coins on their headband and each coin meant something important. Maybe she was going to donate that coin. Maybe...

We were throwing ideas out there and I was suddenly struck with the realization that all of our theories were about who the woman was, and not what the coin was. In this story, the coin is only worth anything because of who the woman is. The woman looking for the coin is the one who assigns value to it.

It's the same for the shepherd. It's the same for the father of the prodigal son. It's the same for our God.

We are each seemingly meaningless tiny coins, lost sheep, and foolish children. Yet Jesus pursues us, pursues us, pursues us. Why? It has nothing to do with who we are, and everything to do with who He is. He's a careful keeper, an attentive shepherd, and a loving Father.

I've attached a link to me singing a song by Cory Asbury, "Reckless Love." You'll find it in the side menu on the home page or if you are on a mobile phone it will be at the very end of the home page (I've wanted to include more music on this blog as it is a HUGE part of my relationship with God.. but I struggle with technology and even now this isn't ideal accessibility for y'all, forgive me!) It was a spontaneous decision to introduce my church to the song and it's been my theme song ever since. He leaves the ninety-nine for you and me! This is a great, big, awesome, loving God.