Have you ever lost something? Maybe you misplaced your cell phone, a
wallet, or a set of keys? Did you ever get
lost on the way to your destination because of a wrong turn or missing an
important street sign? Perhaps you lost
an important file on your computer due to a power surge. There are many things in life that are easily
lost. Small items roll underneath the
seat in the car, items fall between the sofa cushions, and important papers become
lost in the shuffle of incoming papers. Due to unforeseen circumstances, children often find themselves lost in
a grocery store or at a mall. Hopefully
someone comes along who can help them find their parents, alleviating the panic
and distress caused by the unexpected separation of parent and child. Without doubt, inexplicable joy ensues when
the lost is found!
Even the Bible tells stories of people losing things. Take the shepherd who loses his sheep, for
example. He leaves ninety-nine sheep
behind just to find the lost little lamb.
What about the women who lost one of her silver coins? After finding it, she calls her friends and
neighbors over for a celebration. One
man spends all of his money on prostitutes and wild living. He gets to the point where he even craves a
meal of pig’s food, due to lack of food during famine. Finally, he returns home. He asks his dad to make him a servant because
he is no longer worthy to be called a son.
Instead of become angered, his dad says, “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” (Luke 15:23-24 NIV).
In the same way that the shepherd, the woman, and the father
rejoice at finding what was lost, the angels in Heaven rejoice when a man or
woman gives their life to Christ. The
Bible says, “There will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (Luke 15:7
NIV). When someone makes the decision to
serve the Lord with all of their heart, they become a child of God. Unlike the child who may find themselves lost
in a sea of strangers, as Christians, we are never lost. We are never out of the embrace of His loving
arms. Amid so much separation in this
world, I am thankful to know that nothing can separate us from the unconditional
love of Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:38-39 (NIV) says, “For I am convinced that neither
death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the
future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else
in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is
in Christ Jesus our Lord.” What an
amazing promise. No matter what we
encounter in life, we will always have the love of God. Whether storms, wars, or other calamities
surround us, we can rest assured that we are inseparable from the vast power
and love of Jesus Christ.
Through every circumstance that life throws our way, Jesus will
send His angels to encamp around us, protecting us from harm. Why? Because
that is how much He loves us. I John
3:16 says, “This is how we know what love is: Christ gave His life for us.” Love is more than a word. It is an action. Christ did not die on the cross to gain
notoriety nor to prove a point. Jesus Christ
died to cleanse our sins, to redeem us, and to give us life everlasting in
Heaven with Him. If you had been the
only person on the face of this earth, Christ would still have given His life
for you.
No matter where you are today, you are not out of the reach
of the love of Jesus Christ. You may be
in a prison, a hospital, or even a war-torn village. Wherever you are, no matter what you’ve done,
Jesus Christ loves you. Call on the name
of Jesus Christ and you will find redemption through Him. Salvation comes only through the one true living
God. Jesus said, “I am the way and
the truth and the life. No
one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NIV).
Don’t wait until tomorrow, for it may be too late. Ask Jesus Christ to come into your
heart. It is the most important decision
you will ever make. Stop living your
life, feeling as if you are lost in a sea of despair. There is hope in Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, the lost is found and sorrow
turns to joy! Just like the little child
who goes astray and is reunited their parents, today is the day when you can be
united with your Heavenly Father. A
personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the most priceless gift anyone could
ever receive. And it is a gift that you
cannot misplace and better yet, no one can take it away from you! Nothing will ever separate you from the
infinite love of Jesus Christ!
In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer
