Celebration of Joy

Continuing on with my original thoughts about Luke 15, after I got distracted yesterday....

After the stage is set by the first two verses of Luke 15, Jesus tells three stories -- one is about a shepherd who lost one out of 99 sheep, the next is about a woman who lost a coin, and the third is the story of the Father and his two sons. All are about losing something that is precious and finding it again.  My study bible says that the celebration gives "expression to the magnitude and persistence of God's graciousness."

Have you noticed how each story ends?  Each story ends with a celebration.  That's my kind of story ending -- joy, in the discovery of what was lost.  We are left to wonder if the older son joins in the celebration or not.

Will we join in the celebration or not?  Do we celebration with joy in church?  Do we give expression to God's graciousness?  If we don't, how will we even recognize it?

Joy is a wonderful place for hope to spring forth.