“For the Son of man [Jesus Christ] came to seek and to save the lost.” — Jesus (Luke 19:10 RSV)

During the Christmas crush in a large shopping mall the Bernard Johnsons lost their four-year-old son. When they realized he was missing, they panicked. They quickly retraced their steps showing a photo of their boy to security guards and store managers. Thirty minutes passed . . .it seemed like forever. . . Still no sign of their child.

Later Bernard Johnson reported, “Then came the announcement over the public address system, ‘Will Mr. and Mrs. Johnson please come to the manager’s office at Prange’s? Your little boy is here.’ We ran through the mall, up the escalator three stairs at a time and into the manager’s office. Our son was there sipping a soft drink the manager had given him. He was smiling and oblivious to his having frightened us so. It was only when he saw the look in our eyes, a look of fear mixed with relief, that he began to cry. The truth of it was he didn’t know he was lost until he was found.”

More often than not people who are lost spiritually don’t know they are lost. They have never invited God’s Son, Jesus Christ, to come into their heart and life as personal Lord and Saviour and asked God to forgive them of their sins. They don’t know they are heading for a lost eternity without hope.

Many times, too, we don’t find out we are lost until we are found; that is, until God finds us.

Have you been found?

By Dick Innes, Daily Encounter www.actsweb.org/detoday . Used by permission.