Lost and Found

Have you ever been lost and found? Jan uses the story of how she was lost as a child to help us understand that though we may be lost, we can be found.

Lost Without Knowing it

As a very young girl, I think I was about 5 years of age, I attended a vacation Bible camp while at my grandma’s cottage. They held the camp on the sand dunes of Wasaga Beach, in Ontario, Canada. I recall one incident from that camp.

My sister and I took the wrong bus back to the cottage and we ended up in a police cruiser and being taken to a police station. There we were reunited with frantic parents who were so happy to find us. We had been having a great time and didn’t know what all the fuss was about. We were lost but didn’t know it.

Lost and Found

That is exactly my life story with God. When I was little I knew Jesus very well. I loved hearing stories about Him and singing songs of joy and happiness. Gradually over the years, worldly attitudes, education and acquaintances got in the way of my relationship with Him. I became lost but didn’t know it. Without God’s guidance I made wrong choices. I heard something that I called, “my conscience”, telling me that what I was doing was probably not right. But I said to myself, “everyone is doing it, so how wrong can it be?”

Lost and Without Peace

I also became very tense and controlling. As you know, without a faith and stronghold in the Lord, we think we need to control everything, be in charge of everything, know everything. What stress that can bring to one’s body and mind. While I was lost, my body became weak and sore, my mind confused and I had no real peace. I woke up every morning – running, thinking that if I kept moving at all times everything would be okay.

Obtaining Peace

Life is not supposed to be a treadmill. I think God made our lives to enjoy, live and see God in everything we do. Obtaining peace from Jesus changed my whole lookout to my life. As I started to read His Word I began to understand a little bit of God’s plan. I knew He loved me – fiercely. I knew He searched for me, like a lost sheep. I knew He had found me and brought me home.

The Prodigal Son

Last Sunday as we studied both sons of the Father, in the story of the prodigal son, I see myself in both of the sons. I knew the love of my Father, but I left, saw my situation, returned and found forgiveness. But sometimes I can become like the older son and judge others who haven’t returned or who don’t know Jesus. I can have the attitude of “what about me?”

What I am learning is to keep my eyes focused on Jesus in everything I do. I ask Him for His advice, for His peace over situations, for His hand upon me when I speak to others about my faith. And I try to listen to Him. That is the hardest thing to do. Do you feel that way?

Wherever you are in your faith journey let’s remember Who is in control, Who is our faithful friend, Who is watching over us, Who knows us more than we know ourselves. And let’s listen to Him.

Lost and Found

I love the song by Robin Mark – Lost and Found. The words become more meaningful every time I sing it. Listen to these words.

“Jesus, don’t you keep me from that storm
I want to walk that sacred ground
For You are Master of it all
And I am but a lost and found”

To me that says it all –

And reading from Proverbs 3:5-6

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.”

Prayer

May I pray for you and me?

Father, we are thankful that You search for us. We are grateful for all that You do in our lives. We want to listen to You, hear Your voice and follow Your path. Help us to do that. We are grateful that we were once lost and now are found. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.

Until next time, remember to seek Jesus in everything you do. Let’s be grateful that He searched and found us. And let’s endeavour this week to show our gratefulness by listening to Him more closely.