Celebrating with God when the lost are found

“Lost” is a word that covers many places along the faith journey—times of doubt, confusion, fear, or change. It can look like wandering through questions, walking in shadows, or feeling like God’s voice is harder to hear—and yet, in every one of those places, God is already searching for us.

My family and I first discovered Church of the Resurrection when a friend of ours invited us to their daughter’s baptism at the downtown location. What made this unique was that our friends happened to be a lesbian couple. I knew that the church, which welcomed them and baptized their new baby, was a place we wanted to be. We had been searching for a church home for years but couldn’t find one that made sense for our family. I was about to throw in the towel on church altogether. And then we found Resurrection. We found community, and 12 years later, I answered a calling to ministry, finished seminary, and have been leading student ministry at our Overland Park location for the past 5 years.

I could never have predicted what my family and I would find on the first Sunday we stepped through the doors of a Resurrection location. I certainly didn’t think it would be all that we have gained. We had felt like we had lost the importance of church, and being a part of Resurrection has helped us find it.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells two stories about lost things—a sheep and a coin. Both stories end not in quiet relief, but in celebration. These parables remind us that God’s heart beats for the “lost.” While the world often celebrates success, wealth, and achievement, God celebrates restoration. God celebrates when someone who felt far away finds their way home. His joy is not reserved for the perfect but for the redeemed.

And here’s the beautiful invitation for us: God’s joy becomes our joy. When we see someone reconnect with faith, rediscover their worth, or experience forgiveness, we’re invited to join the celebration—to mirror heaven’s gladness right here on earth.

Sometimes we can be tempted to stand on the sidelines, questioning whether someone deserves such a celebration. But Jesus challenges that posture. He reminds us that grace is never earned—it’s given. And when grace wins, we throw a party.

So today, let’s practice celebrating like God does. Let’s look for signs of life, redemption, and return in the people around us. Let’s cheer when someone finds hope again, when someone chooses forgiveness, when someone says “yes” to Jesus for the first—or fiftieth—time. Because every time the lost are found, and community is gained, heaven throws a party. And we’re all invited.