Lost & Found

Scriptures: ‘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.” ’ (Luke 15:5-6)

After lunch, a mother put her little two-year old boy to sleep. It was his everyday afternoon nap. Thinking that he would not be awake for another 30 minutes at least, she took their laundry and went to the laundry room in the apartment complex.

Not long after she left, the little boy woke up from his afternoon nap and did not find his mom. So he decided to look for her. Mom was not anywhere in the house. So, he opened the door and went outside to look for her. Not knowing where she could have been, he just wandered around in the apartment complex. Then, a man who happened to be passing by saw this little boy wandering. So, he stopped to ask the boy where he was going. The boy could only say, “Mama, mama!” Not knowing whose boy this was, this man decided to take this boy to the Manager’s Office.

Meantime, the mother came home from the laundry room and found her boy missing. She was panic! She ran outside and screamed for her son, calling his name, only to find no answer. She ran into their downstairs’ neighbors, she pleaded for help. They all went in different directions to look for this little boy.

As she was running around in the complex, she spotted this man and the little boy walking toward the office, she screamed for her son and ran to him, in tears and relief. The little boy was more than excited seeing his mom. He held her tight and kept calling “Mama, where have you been?” When she finally calmed down and looked up, the man was no where to be seen. She was frightened, exhausted, but thankful!

For those of us who are parents, or even grandparents, I am sure we can all identify with this mom. Children are like members of our body. Losing, or injuring, any one of them is more than heartbreaking, it’s devastating. We will surely do everything we can to find or heal them.

Our Heavenly Father’s heart for us is the same. As much as we would like to believe that we are grown-ups and know what we are doing, so often we go astray because we are not sensitive to the guidance of God, nor are we spiritually discerning enough. As a result, we grieve the Holy Spirit and our Heavenly Father would have to come and find us to bring us back.

When Jesus told the parable of the Lost Sheep, He did not emphasize on the anguish the Shepherd went through to find the lost sheep. Instead, He emphasized on the joy when the lost sheep was found and reunited with its master. His description of the heart of the Father was very clear. It pleases our Heavenly Father greatly that we return to Him and our relationship be restored to the way He intended it to be.

In relation to Him, where are we today? He is searching everywhere for us, calling our names, and wanting to guide us back to the position close to His heart where we can find rest and be re-united with Him. We will no longer have to find pastures, nor healings, on our own for He will make us lie down in green pastures and lead us beside quite waters.

Let’s respond to His calling so we can join Him in His heavenly celebration!

Prayer Requests:
For those exhausted of fighting for life alone

Prayer:
Our Lord, our Great Shepherd, thank You for finding us and carrying us home through the Holy Spirit! Please help us to be sensitive to Your love and longing for reuniting the lost with Yourself and be willing to submit to Your calling to serve as your vessels to end this spiritual Lost and Found search for everyone You bring to our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!