Day 7 – Treasure in Jars of Clay

Scripture:
“But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.” – 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NRSV)

Reflection:
In the end, Jeremiah’s vision and Paul’s reminder meet: our fragility is not failure but testimony. God chooses clay jars, not golden vessels, to carry divine treasure. Why? So the world sees that the beauty is not the pot but the Potter. The gospel is not that we are flawless but that God makes the flawed into something purposeful and new. We are jars of clay holding the glory of Christ.

Prayer Prompt:
Give thanks that God treasures you as you are. Ask that your life would point others not to your strength but to the Potter’s hands.

Day 1 – Hiding in the Fire

Scripture: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?” (Luke 15:4)

Reflection:
The sermon began with a little girl crouched in a bathtub, hidden as fire closed in. She could not save herself. All she could do was wait. That is the reality of being lost: we cannot fix ourselves, clean ourselves up, or climb out of danger on our own. Jesus tells us that God is the shepherd who searches anyway, refusing to give up until the lost are found. Just as firefighter Derek Bart carried Myeshia out of the flames, Jesus carries us out of our sin and shame. The good news is not that we crawl back to God, but that God comes looking for us.

Prayer Prompt:
Lord, remind me today that my rescue comes from you. Help me trust your arms that carry me when I cannot carry myself.

Day 2 – Glasses on Your Face

Scripture: “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?” (Luke 15:8)

Reflection:
Sometimes we laugh at ourselves when we lose something obvious: searching the whole house for glasses already on our face or a phone that is in our hand. Jesus uses that kind of everyday silliness to drive home a serious point. If we get frantic about little things, imagine how much more God searches for us. The woman’s coin was worth more than pennies—it represented security, livelihood, survival. That is how much worth God places on each life. You are not misplaced pocket change. You are treasured, and heaven rejoices when you are restored.

Prayer Prompt:
God, help me remember my worth in your eyes. When I feel lost, remind me that you will not stop searching until I am found.

Day 3 – A Scandalous Shepherd

Scripture: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)

Reflection:
In the first century, shepherds were not romanticized figures. They were lumped in with gamblers, sailors, and tax collectors. That is why Jesus’ image of God as a shepherd would have shocked his audience. God chooses to take on the dirtiest, most thankless role just to love us. Sheep are messy, stubborn, and sometimes ridiculous. Yet the shepherd calls them by name and goes after each one. God is not too proud to step into our chaos. The very picture that made religious leaders grumble is the picture that gives us hope.

Prayer Prompt:
Jesus, thank you for being the shepherd who chooses me, even in my mess. Help me follow your voice with trust and gratitude.

Day 4 – Heaven’s Party

Scripture: “I tell you, in the same way there will be rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” (Luke 15:7)

Reflection:
When the lost get found, heaven does not quietly nod. Heaven throws a party. That is a beautiful contrast to the religious leaders who grumbled when Jesus welcomed sinners. They thought faith was about keeping people out. Jesus says it is about celebrating when God brings people in. If you have ever felt unworthy, hear this: heaven dances when you are restored. The angels rejoice because you matter that much. God is not embarrassed by your return, God is delighted.

Prayer Prompt:
Father, let me hear heaven’s song of joy today. Help me rejoice with you over every life you bring home.

Day 5 – The Grumblers

Scripture: “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.’” (Luke 15:1–2)

Reflection:
Not everyone celebrates when God shows mercy. The Pharisees grumbled because they could not stomach the idea that God cared about “those people.” They wanted boundaries, not parties. The danger is that we can fall into the same trap. We can be so sure of our own goodness that we forget our need for grace. The parables remind us that sometimes the truly lost are the ones who think they have never been lost at all.

Prayer Prompt:
Lord, protect me from pride. When I see your mercy at work in others, help me celebrate instead of grumble.

Day 6 – Worth the Search

Scripture: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)

Reflection:
You are worth the search. That is the clear message of Jesus in Luke 15. Worth the shepherd’s long walk. Worth the woman’s frantic sweeping. Worth the cross itself. Many of us carry the lie that we are too far gone, too scarred, or too hidden to be worth anything to God. Yet Jesus says otherwise. He comes with scars in his hands to prove the lengths of God’s love. You matter. You are not forgotten. You are worth the rescue.

Prayer Prompt:
Jesus, thank you for coming after me. Let your scars remind me that I am worth your love, worth your grace, worth your search.

Day 7 – Found and Sent

Scripture: “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.” (Luke 15:6)

Reflection:
The gospel is not just that the lost are found, but that the found become searchers. God rescues us so that we might join the rescue. Our hope is that God never stops searching, even when we wander. Our calling is to live with joy instead of judgment, to throw parties instead of drawing boundaries, and to search for the ones still hiding in the dark. The celebration of heaven is not only our comfort, it is our mission.

Prayer Prompt:
God, send me today as part of your search party. Let my life reflect the joy of heaven and the wideness of your mercy.