“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost. Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Luke 15: 8-10/

Have you ever felt trapped in.a dream? Last week I had the most unusual dream. Apparently, I lost a car. I did not lose it in a parking garage or city street. I simply lost a car and for a time I wasn’t even aware of it. Then, I was desperate to find the missing car, but I had no luck and, finally, I woke up.

I imagine the woman who misplaced her coin in the verses above experienced that feeling of desperation. Some say the coins were likely a piece of valuable jewelry for a woman in the first century. Losing one of the coins would be like losing a wedding ring. While I’ve never lost my wedding ring, I have “misplaced” any number of things on a pretty regular basis.

Likewise, the missing coin in the passage above did not recognize its lostness, but it was valued by the woman who searched for it. And in the same way, God values the lost individual.

Maybe you know of someone who is lost right now. Maybe your heart breaks for them, but remember this- God is patient and longing for those to come to repentance. Here’s a couple of references to strengthen your resolve:

“But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them”(Nehemiah 9: 17b).

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).