Joy in God’s Mercy

Can you imagine what it would be like to live in a place that is desolate and in ruins?  Have you seen the pictures of Damascus and the damage that was done not just to the thousands of people that have been killed, but also to buildings and their surroundings?  War zones, whether in Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan, or anywhere else, are upsetting and horrible sites

It might have been something similar to this in Jerusalem during the time of the Prophet Jeremiah.  God was angry and vengeful because the people had turned against him.

God spoke through Jeremiah and said, “my people are foolish, they do not know me; … they have no understanding.  They are skilled in doing evil, but do not know how to do good."  The people had turned against God, the earth was a waste and desolate, there was no light, the birds of the air had fled, the fruitful land was a desert, “and all the cities were laid in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger.”

What are the people to do?  How can they cope with such a disaster, with such horror, evil acts, and resulting desolation?

Here in the United States, there are individuals, towns and cities like Detroit that are also suffering.  Look at the people who have lost their homes and possessions because of hurricane Sandy and the fires along the Jersey Shore, or the torrential rains and floods in Colorado.  You might know someone who is suffering from a disaster.  Many of our citizens have lost everything and have to spend weeks and months waiting for insurance claims to be processed.  And if they don’t have access to the resources needed to rebuild, they undoubtedly feel bereft, desolate, and isolated.  They give up and struggle just to survive.

Have you ever been in a position when you just felt like giving up?  Perhaps you know someone who was unemployed and kept looking for a job without success, so they finally felt a sense of resignation and quit looking.  There are far too many people like that in our society.  Their unemployment benefits have run out, the economy has not yet fully recovered, and they are not equipped for the skills that are needed in today’s job market.

There are many situations in which people have to face what seem to be insurmountable challenges because of circumstances beyond their control.  Whether devastation because of war, natural disaster, or personal loss, it is a monumental struggle to find hope and strive for constructive change.

Paul, in his Letter to Timothy, relates an account about his own experience.  Paul had been "a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence.”  He was a sinner who received God's mercy when he became faithful and "an example to those who would come to believe in Jesus Christ for eternal life."  Paul discovered that the grace of God "overflowed…with faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." 

God’s mercy and Paul’s rejoicing in the faith are reflected in the two stories in Luke’s gospel about the lost sheep and the lost coin.  Jesus told these stories to reveal what God is like, how God acts toward those who are lost, and how we are called to act.  Luke used the familiar metaphor of the shepherd for God and stressed the shepherd's concern for the lost sheep.  The shepherd's search was more important than the sheep's foolishness in being lost, or the value of sheep, or the questionable act of pursuing one sheep while leaving open the possibility of the other 99 sheep straying and also getting lost.

Do you think a shepherd would leave 99 sheep to graze in the wilderness while going off to find one that was missing?  He would probably lose his job.  Had all the sheep been enclosed in a fenced field it would have been a different matter.  But these sheep were in the wilderness where there were no fences and no protection.  The one sheep that was lost may have fallen off a cliff or been devoured by a lion.  If the shepherd leaves the flock and predators then attack the flock, how many more sheep might be lost?

The story would be more plausible if the shepherd moved out briefly in different directions and kept returning to the flock to make sure the 99 remaining sheep were safe.  But in the story the shepherd was single-minded in his search for the one sheep that had gone astray.  Jesus used this story to make the point that “there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

The second story is about a lost coin.  It focuses on the need for diligence and persistence in searching.  The coin was known to be in the room; it was only hidden from view.  The woman lit a lamp and swept the house until she found it.  Then, when she found the coin, she was filled with joy and thankfulness and invited her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her.  In this way, Jesus said, "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

These two stories, Paul’s own experience, and the Jeremiah’s prophetic warning raise some questions about God.  Is God vengeful in allowing horrendous violence and evil on so many communities and individuals?  Is God as reckless as the shepherd, failing to ascertain the cost of losing more sheep while going after one that was lost?  Is God as spontaneous and generous as the woman who found her lost coin?  When you feel lost or alone, do you have any idea that God is searching for you?  What is your understanding of God?

Jeremiah, Paul and Jesus want us to know that God is faithful, concerned, compassionate and persistent.  When devastation and tragedy result from evil acts and other disasters, it is our human responsibility to right the wrongs that confront us.  When someone or something is lost as in the parable of the lost sheep, we are reminded that the community of God's people must be concerned with those who are not reached by God's steadfast love for whatever reason.  The story of the lost coin tells us that if a woman will act with such diligence, so will God's search be persistent for those who are lost.  How real will be the joy when devastated life is restored and when those who have been lost are recovered.

Jesus came to save the lost -- lost sheep, lost coins, lost sisters and brothers.  Everyone who is neglected or cast aside by society, those people we have given up on and labeled as lazy, uneducated, or worthless; and all the people who are alone, feeling bereft or unloved, and those people who are searching for identity, meaning and purpose, are the ones whom Jesus has gone looking for.  He looks back at us to see whether we, like Paul, are following him.

Jesus wants us to know what happens every time someone is found who had been lost.  There is joy in heaven.  When the lost sheep was found the shepherd had an excuse to throw a party.  When the lost coin was found, friends and neighbors were invited to rejoice.

When devastated cities and towns are rebuilt and people live with justice, peace, and compassion for one another there is joy in heaven.  All of us are invited, and we should also invite our friends, neighbors, and anyone we know who is lost, to join us every week in sharing the joy of God's mercy and love.  Amen.