Orphaned by Sin
Scripture Reading — Luke 15:1-10
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
Sin makes orphans of us all. Sin shatters the relationship we were meant to have with our Father God. Sin is rebellion against the God who loves us, saying, in effect, like the younger son in Jesus’ parable (Luke 15:11-32), “Father, I wish you were dead so that I can have my inheritance now and do whatever I want.” Sin always leaves us lost in a strange land, spiritually starving, lonely, and dying.
The good news is that our Father is alive. He loves us. He wants us in his life. Like a shepherd searching for a lost sheep, like a woman searching every nook and cranny in her house for her lost coin, the Father orchestrates life so that we encounter powerful expressions of his unconditional love. His aim is to adopt us back into his family.
God has a deep compassion for orphans (Deuteronomy 10:18). God does not abandon spiritual orphans, not even in a mess of our own making. He intervenes. He redeems us from the desperate poverty of our own sin. Jesus offers hope to each one of us. Unlike the older brother in the parable (Luke 15:28), our brother Jesus leaves home to seek and save us. He paid for our freedom and returns us to our Father’s house. Sin drives us from the Father’s presence, but never beyond the reach of his love.
Father, we confess that we have sinned against you and are no longer worthy to be called your children. Thank you for your grace that forgives all our sin and welcomes us home. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
About the author — Rob Jansons
Rob Jansons is the pastor of New Hope Fellowship in Monroe, Washington, where he has served for almost twenty years. He and his wife, Sue, have been married since 1989 and have three daughters. Rob spends time each year in Calcutta, India, working with a Christian ministry to children living in slums. He enjoys hiking in the Pacific Northwest, camping with his family, reading, writing, and being a pastor.
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