Devotions

Rev Gav

Symbol

Luke 15.8-10

‘Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.’

Reflect

I really shouldn’t separate this story from the one before it about the lost sheep, nor the one that comes after it, the lost son, but much has been written about the other two, and this one in the middle, about the lost coin, tends to get forgotten!

It’s no coincidence that it’s a woman in the story who has lost one of her silver coins because, traditionally, in first century Palestine (particularly in Judea and Galilee), Jewish women received ten silver coins as a wedding gift from their husbands. These silver coins symbolised the woman’s marital status and commitment, and the coins were often incorporated into her bridal headdress.

The coins themselves were not of immense value (each worth about a day’s wage) but were retained by the bride for their sentimental value, and held by her in trust in case of an emergency or widowhood.

The closest comparison we have to the ten silver coins would be a wedding ring where the value is in what the ring represents, therefore, like losing a wedding ring,  to lose a single silver coin would be distressing, and yes, you would invite people over to celebrate it being found!

If you think about it, losing a wedding coin and finding it again symbolises a broken marriage being restored. One of the metaphors found in the gospels is of Jesus being ‘the bridegroom’, and given the story is about a marital coin being lost, there is a richer or deeper meaning to comprehend.

Each of us broke our marriage covenant with God by going our own way, but, through Jesus, God enabled us to find our way back and for our relationship to be restored. A sinner who repents is someone who reaffirms their marriage vows, and in the same way that the woman’s friends in the story rejoice, so God’s angels rejoice over this reconciliation.

The story of the lost coin is your story. You were once lost and separated from God but now you are reconciled and God’s angels rejoice over you.

 

Pray

Holy God
Thank you that
I have found my
way back to you.
Thank you that
I am your partner
and that our relationship
has been restored.
Now and forever.

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