Mar 12: Insight Post by Rusty Coram

  -   March 12, 2025

God’s Joy in Restoration: The parable shows that there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. When we return to God, He does not meet us with condemnation but with joy and celebration. This teaches us that God’s heart is always for restoration and not punishment.

Wednesday Verse

I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign Lord. Turn back and live! Ezekiel 18:32 (NLT)

Wednesday Questions

Do I celebrate the restoration of others, or am I judgmental of those who have gone astray? How can I better align my heart with God’s joy in their return?

Wednesday Insight Post
by Rusty Coram

Since I accepted Jesus, this story has meant the world to me. I was one of the “notorious sinners” Jesus describes here. For the most part, I hated authority and went out of my way to violate rules and take shortcuts. My values and actions reflected a lot of my inner brokenness. My rebellious ways created an identity for me and an image that worked to keep my inner world private. Others didn’t, but God knew what was going on. He saw my outward sinfulness as my way of trying to make life work. While not ever condoning it, He did understand it, in the same way as a shepherd understood the inclinations of sheep. Ignorant of the dangers, sheep wander into all kinds of things in search of food, comfort, or freedom, assuming they know best.

I am so grateful that Jesus did not give up on me. I am forever indebted to Him for seeing me as valuable, not like the “Pharisees and teachers of religious law,” who saw others as worthless.

We live in a time in America where judging and condemning others is seen as normal. Make no mistake, this is not an attitude shared by our Savior and should never be acceptable to those of us who follow Him. We have been given the amazing responsibility and privilege of showing and sharing God’s love to all our neighbors. We are called to build bridges of relationships with all people in the hope that we can tell them the great news of Jesus’ love for them. We are never more like Jesus than when we are actively praying and pursuing others like this.

Rusty Coram
Senior Pastor

New Hope Church
Lorton, Virginia
www.newhope.org