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Trek 2008 - I Lost My Pockets
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Trek 2008 - Pocket Full Quarters: I Lost My Pockets
By Cheryle M. Touchton
The Pocket Full of Quarters Lady
Luke 15: 1-3: 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.” Then Jesus told them this parable:
The overall theme and calling of Pocket Full of Change Ministries is to help people fill their spiritual pockets. The theme for this year’s journey will be I Lost My Pockets. If we lose our spiritual pockets, we can’t possibly fill them up. The theme scripture will be Luke 15, which is about being lost, found, and giving parties. As I travel, I hope to “welcome sinners and eat with them.” Stories will focus around how easy it is to lose our way and how much God longs for us to find our way back to Him.
Just in case you were worried, you will also see familiar topics such as:
Travel Tips Interesting tips about traveling America
Did You Know? American trivia that I pick up along the road
Pocket Full of Treats Stories written from Belle’s doggie perspective
Stories about the theme, I Lost My Pockets, will be divided into 5 categories:
1. The Lost Sheep
2. The Lost Coin
3. The Lost Prodigal
4. The Lost Super Star
5. The Found
Lost Sheep
The poor sheep in Luke 15 didn’t mean to get lost. He quietly hummed, “Dum de dum dum,” as he nibbled his way further and further from the shepherd. Suddenly he looked up and was lost. “How did that happen?” he wondered.
The shepherd left the rest of the sheep to retrieve the poor nibbling fool. Note that most sheep eventually nibble their way to disaster and that if the shepherd didn’t go after them, there eventually would be no sheep left. I prayed I wouldn’t do any thoughtless nibbling this summer and knew I’d probably be ministering to people who were nibbling their life away.
Luke 15:4-7: “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.”
Lost Coins
The poor coin did nothing wrong and yet he wound up lost anyway. In fact, it was someone else who actually lost him. Life has a way of running away with us and many find themselves drowning in circumstances beyond their control. Perhaps God will use Trek 2008 to seek them out.
Luke 15:8-10: “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? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Lost Prodigals
This rebellious young man deserved what happened to him. He ignored the wise council of everyone around him and selfishly went his own way. As I pondered the upcoming 2008 journey, I thought of all the times I’d rebelled and wondered how many prodigals I’d be meeting.
Luke 15:11-24: Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.”
Lost Super Stars
The older son in the Luke 15 suffered from the self-righteous sin of entitlement. After all, this perfect son, the super star of the family deserved more because he had done everything right his entire life. When the father gave the rebellious son status equal to his, the older son became lost in a sea of resentment about life being unfair. Would I be meeting many self-righteous super stars this summer? How often did I personally have that attitude myself?
Luke 15:25-31: “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.' The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!' 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'”
Found
All the stars of Luke 15 were lost. Three of the four were found. We don’t know the end of the story of the older son but I like to think that he eventually found his way back as well. What is consistent throughout Luke 15 is that that all of the lost were welcomed home with a party. My mission for this summer: Help people find their spiritual pockets. I hope this means I’m going to have a summer full of parties.
Cheryle M. Touchton is a ministry partner with and the Director for Pocket Full of Change Ministries. For more information or to schedule a speaker for an event, go to www.pocketfullofchange.org or call Gail Golden at 904 316-5462.
This ministry exists because people like you are called to help fund the work of the kingdom. To help keep the Pocket Full of Quarters Lady on the road as a traveling missionary, send your tax deductible contribution to Pocket Full of Change Ministries, POB 51205, Jacksonville Beach, Florida 32240.
© Pocket Full of Change Ministries
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