FOUND (Luke 15)
I enjoy divine rabbit trails, those times the Holy Spirit leads the devotional reading from a book to the Scripture. I am in school just a little while longer, so I read books a little at a time for meditation and reflection. I journal what grabs me, and go from there.
Most recently, the Holy Ghost used a prayer meeting, a book and the Bible to confront me with the idea of being FOUND. Not in the Ruth or Rebekah (Genesis 24) sense of found, but in the sense of self-awareness.
It started with the prayer meeting I visited. The pastor shifted the prayer focus to the lost and destitute. That is when he said,
THE THING WORSE THAN BEING LOST IS BEING LOST AND NO ONE IS LOOKING FOR YOU.
Bam! This hit me hard and resonated. Immediately, I identified with feeling lost (perception). Then I remembered being lost (direction). I also recalled asking over the years whether anyone cared to look for me (community). [Side Note: When you’re gifted, a lot of people think you are found and stay found.] I was sad.
I sat with the pastor’s statement for the next day and picked up my book to read a couple of pages. The book, by Elizabeth Kantor, is called The Jane Austen Guide to Happily Ever After. Don’t laugh. The book preaches… and it is NOTHING like what you might think. Here’s what Kantor said that I connected to the idea of being found.
The Jane Austen type of woman avoids “getting lost” in relationship heartbreak when she treats all her relationships as if they matter. Not putting men above friends or family, but being invested in all relationships with the same seriousness and sobriety. (paraphrased)
Bam, again! In good ole Bible teacher fashion, I went to my English Standard Version (ESV) concordance and marked references to find, finds, and found. I started with the parables in Luke 15. Here, we will just cover the prodigal son (vv. 11-31). Here are a few thoughts.
- The father always looked for the younger son to return. His expectation was there.
- The elder brother justified his works, when his works were never challenged. He was glad to be the only son for a while.
- The elder brother was just as lost because he viewed his privileged proximity through time, service, obedience, and entitlement.
- The younger had the longer road of restoration… Restoration is necessary. Found is not the end game.
- The younger was found when he came to himself. He was inspired to change course when he saw the futility of his circumstances.
We are just getting started. Meditate on what it means to be FOUND. Feel free to share your reflections in the comments, and welcome to Berea.
Shaunta D. Scroggins is the lead contributor for My Berean Life. She is an EdD candidate at Dallas Baptist University.
2 Comments on “FOUND (Luke 15)”
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The Bereans' Commentary with Shaunta D. Scroggins, Ed.D. 
Wow this brings up so many different directions to go. What comes to me first is the idea of being found by myself. When we feel that no one is looking for us (no community) it can cause us to turn inward even more. I have discovered things about me, both positive and things I need to work on, that I question whether I would have noticed them had I been in continual community with others. Feeling lost to others can have the effect of leaning in more to the Lord and much more self-reflection resulting in being “found” on a deeper level by ourselves.
Exactly, this was one of my aha moments when the pastor made the statement at the prayer meeting. It’s amazing was a little living will do for perspective. Just a few years ago, if I heard the same statement, I am sure I might have just focused on targets outside of myself.
Self-awareness very acutely feeds a cycle of God awareness, in all kinds of beautifully intimate ways.