Saving the Lost

Today’s Reading: Matthew 18:10-14

See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. The Son of Man came to save what was lost. What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

Have you ever been lost? Were you physically lost, spiritually lost, or both? When I was around 13 my little brother who was 7 at the time went missing in the mall. I am not sure how long it was, but it was long enough for the mall to be locked down and the police to arrive. I will never forget sitting with my grandmother in the shoe department waiting for them to find him---time stood still and the feeling that I had was almost unbearable. Even now, just thinking about it makes me a bit queasy. All we wanted was to find him. Jesus’ desire to find us when we are lost is even greater than we can imagine. The difference, Jesus knows right where we are at, his eyes never leave us, but we have to want to be found---we have to accept his guidance back to the flock.

While I have never been physically lost, I have been spiritually lost. So lost I didn’t know how to get back. In fact, I seemed to slowly drift away so far that I could no longer feel God’s presence. I knew that Jesus was my answer, but I was too spiritually weak to even reach for him, but he reached for me. He took my hand when I could no longer hold on. He never let go and he slowly pulled me back into his loving arms.

I am here to tell you that no matter what you have done, no matter how far you have gotten away from Jesus, no matter if you never knew him, know that he is looking for you, he is waiting for you. When you can’t step towards him, when you can’t reach out your hand, just call his name and he will come to you, he will reach down and hold you. He will meet you wherever you may be, but be prepared---be prepared for a new life, a better life, when you let him bring you to him.

While I can’t go into detail I do want to praise God for doing great and mighty things in my life and my family’s life. Just when I think I know how things are going, Jesus steps in and once again I am in awe of his goodness and love.