Rejoice With Me

My friend has two saucer-size pet turtles that live outside in a sandbox type enclosure. One turtle escaped and became a poster-child for lost pets. Prayers and signs posted on telephone poles finally bore fruit and after two weeks the turtle was reunited to his owner. The turtle had been rescued by neighbors while he attempted to walk across a busy street. Many were praying for the lost turtle and his return ranks right up there with the emotion found in Jesus’ parables of the Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, and the Lost Son.  Jesus said, “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? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety–nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (Luke 15:4-7 NIV).