We always hear about criminals, swindlers and thieves. Our world is
truly an unsafe place. There are still many honest people, however,
whose only purpose in life is to brighten the lives of others.
As
I began my work day one morning, I had no idea that I had lost my
cellphone. In fact, when the call came in from the office that my
cellphone was at the police station across the road, I didn't really
believe it. I couldn't overlook the fact, however, that the call had
come in from a very reliable source: My own wife! But my phone was
right--oh dear--I truly had lost my phone!
Apparently my phone
had slipped from my belt when I got out of my car that morning. It was
picked up by an elderly lady, and before turning it in to the police
station, she texted my sons and my wife to let them know where my phone
could be found.
I was very pleased; but the story didn't end
there. Four weeks later, as I got out of my car, an elderly lady
approached me with a big smile on her face.
"Did you get your
cellphone back?" She asked.
Amazed, I stuttered: "Uh . . . Yes .
. . Are you the one who found it?"
She sure was. For four weeks
she had tried to spot my car, just to make sure that the lost had,
indeed, been found. What a sweetheart!
There is hope in our
world, when people think of others first.
But then, hope was
given to us by the Most High, when His Son came to our neighborhood,
roughly 2000 years ago, defeating death through His selfless act on the
cross. He, too, cared more about others than Himself. To Him, bringing
people to the very doors of heaven was His ultimate goal.
We,
too, had lost something way more important than a cellphone. Due to our
selfish pursuits, we had become estranged from our Heavenly Father. We
were living like there was no tomorrow.
It all changed when Jesus
showed up and brought us a hope that will last for eternity.
Yes,
we had brought upon ourselves that fearful word, "death," which has
haunted every human being since Adam. But it can no longer be a threat
to us, for it has been defeated!
"But we know it now. Since the
appearance of our Savior, nothing could be plainer: death defeated, life
vindicated in a steady blaze of light, all through the work of Jesus."
(2Tim 1:10, MSG)
"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O
death, is your sting?" (1Cor 15:55, NIV2)
One simple birth in
Bethlehem, directed by the Most High, brought us such hope that we now
can truly say: "Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ." (1Cor 15:57, NIV2)
May we rejoice this
Christmas in our restored hope. We were once thoroughly lost, but now we
can be reunited with our Father who truly loves us. Yahoo! No better
hope can there be!
If you are still one of the lost ones, come to
your Father unreservedly and find yourself being embraced by the pure
love He has for you. He sure loves you!
Rob Chaffart