LOST AND FOUND
We’ve all heard and sung the song “Amazing Grace” a million times, with the famous line, “I once was lost, but now I’m found…” but I think only half of that sentence is true.
Yes, we HAVE been lost. Deeply, horribly, desperately lost, in a world of chaos and pain and despair. (More often than not, of our own making!) But God has never found us. We get lost when we take our eyes off Him. When we wander away, off His “narrow” path and down a path WE think is best for us. But He has NEVER lost us. He has NEVER had to find us. He’s never said to Himself, “Hmmm… I wonder where Dart is today. I can’t find her ANYWHERE!” *stomping His foot in frustration*
Even in the Garden when God asked Adam, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9) I don’t believe He was wondering where Adam was physically, I think He was drawing ADAM’S attention to the fact that there was now distance between them because of sin. God has been, is, and will ALWAYS be right here with us. And NOTHING can separate us from Him. I echo Paul when he wrote to the Romans (8:38-39) and said, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (John 3:16-17)
Yes, we can (and often do!) walk away from God, but even in the deepest, darkest parts of our lives, He is with us. He does not join us in our sin, but He never abandons us in it either. Years ago I walked away from “judgmental Christianity” and became a witch. A High Priestess. With my own “circle” (coven) of witchlings. And through those years He was still with me, whispering His love into my heart. Every. Single. Day. He is ALWAYS wooing us back to Him. No matter WHERE we go, or what we do, He is there! Psalm 139:8 says, “If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, (the place of the dead,) behold, You are there!”
I love what the Amplified Bible says in Isaiah 30:15 & 18, “For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning to Me and resting in Me you shall be saved; in quietness and in trusting, confidence shall be your strength. But you would not… And therefore the Lord earnestly waits, expecting, looking, and longing to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed happy, fortunate, and to be envied are all those who earnestly wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him, for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship!”
I think the reason we oftentimes don’t realize God is with us, is because He is a gentleman. Satan is loud and overbearing and is constantly screaming at us what we “should” be doing. But Jesus is ALWAYS a gentleman. Even though He is Almighty God, with all the power of hurricane winds and shattering earthquakes and roaring fires, He speaks to us with a “still, small voice.” (1 Kings 19:11-12) A sweet whisper to our souls.
He doesn’t rip the door off our car, drag us from behind the wheel and take over our lives. (Even though I oftentimes wish He would!!) That would violate our free will. And He loves us way too much for that. Instead, He stands at the door and knocks. (Revelation 3:20) He just wants to be a passenger. All we need to do is open the door and let Him in. (Which is probably a really good idea, since He’s the one with the map!)
But, more often than not I think we’re afraid to let Him in because we’re so guilty of sin, and our car is such a mess we feel like we should clean things up before unlocking the doors and letting Him in. We think we need to throw the fast food bags into the back and and brush the french fries off the seat to give Him a place to sit. But in reality, HE is the one who cleans things up. 1 John 1:9says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” He knows what a mess we are, and He knows we CAN’T clean things up. We’ve been trying our whole lives, and yet here we are. Still a mess. The entire Old Testament of the Bible shows we’ve been trying for eons. We CAN NOT do it.
That’s why Jesus came.
We don’t have to beg Him for forgiveness. He’s already forgiven us. That is finished. (John 19:30) We don’t need to clean everything up first. He enters into our messy cars and journeys with us. And the more we listen to His directions, the more He leads us by still waters, and restores our souls, and leads us down paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even when we travel through the deep, dark valley of the shadow of death, we will not fear because we know He is with us. (Psalm 23) We may fall asleep at the wheel and veer off course and get lost in the fog from time to time. We need His help finding our way moment by moment throughout our day, but WE never need to be found. He is right here with us, right now. He is Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14) God with us. Amen!!
SCRIPTURES
Genesis 3:9 ~ But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” (ESV)
Romans 8:38-39 ~ 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. (NIV)
John 3:16-17 ~ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (NKJV)
Psalm 139:8 ~ If I ascend up into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol (the place of the dead), behold, You are there. (AMPC)
Isaiah 30:15 & 18 ~ For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: In returning [to Me] and resting [in Me] you shall be saved; in quietness and in [trusting] confidence shall be your strength… And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]! (AMPC)
1 Kings 19:11-12 ~ And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. (KJV)
Revelation 3:20 ~ Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. (NLT)
1 John 1:9 ~ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (NIV)
John 19:30 ~ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (NIV)
Psalm 23 ~ The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. (KJV)
Isaiah 7:14 ~ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (ESV)