“When we were here yesterday,” I asked Stan, “did you notice if I had my umbrella with me?”
“Can’t say that I did,” Stan replied. “Is it missing?”
“It is,” I said. “I couldn’t find it when I got ready to come here this morning. The weather looks like I may need it. I may have left it here.”
“Did you ask Ricky to check the ‘Lost and Found’?”
“Not yet,” I replied, “but I will when he comes to take our order.”
Ricky came to the table and I asked him. After he took our order he said he would check and let me know. In a couple of minutes he came back with an umbrella. “Is this it?” He asked. It was. I thanked him as he gave it to me.
“The lost is found!” Stan said with a smile. “Just like me. And just like what Jesus said to His disciples when He was telling them why He was there.”
“What did he tell them about that?” I asked.
“Luke’s gospel records that Jesus said He came to check out the ‘Lost and Found’ box. Well, not exactly in those words, but that is the essence of what Jesus said.”
Continuing, Stan added, “Jesus looked into the box, which was really only a ‘Lost’ box, and He saw me. Next to that box was the ‘Found’ box.”
“Then it was just like Jesus picked me up out of the one box and, by putting me in the other box, returned me to the One who wanted me, God the Father!”
“Did you know you were in the first box?” I asked.
“In retrospect,” Stan replied, “I don’t think I knew I was in the box as lost, but there certainly came a time in my life when God awakened in me the desire to think and to find out about that. And I’m forever thankful He did!”
“As I thought about whether or not I was lost, God led me to conclude that I was, indeed, in the ‘Lost’ box. There was a moment when it became clear to me where I was and I knew I wanted out. All of a sudden, I was concerned that I was going to stay in that box, but it was also clear that Jesus came to take care of that. Found, and no longer lost.”
“That ‘Lost Box’ is a big one and there are a lot of people in there,” Stan concluded. “Let’s see if we can help get that box emptied or at least less full. Let’s get busy helping people to start being and thinking outside of that box!”
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For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving your Son Jesus so that I was saved out of the box of being lost. Thank you that He came into the world to seek and to save the lost, which included me. Thank you for the truth of salvation through the finished work of Christ Jesus on the cross and through His resurrection on the third day. Thank you I am no longer lost, but can look forward to spending eternity with you when it is time. Thank you, too, that I can experience the eternal life of knowing you more deeply on this side of eternity. Please help me in following your lead regarding all who are lost, that they may be found and moved out of the “Lost Box.” Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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Things to think (and journal) about:
1. What is your biggest take-away from this devotional?
2. What does this devotional say about God and about us as His people?
3. What is God saying to you to do personally?
4. Who can you share this with to make a difference?
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Comments, questions, suggestions, and the like can be addressed to The Storyteller at: waiting4thetrain@gmail.com.
Waiting for the Train 