Lost and Found

Bible Reading: Isaiah 53:6; Luke 15:4-7

As Leah stood and looked around the mall, she cried as if her heart would break. “Are you lost?” someone asked her.

Leah sobbed as she nodded her head. She knew the man talking to her was a security guard—her mother had pointed him out to her. “If you ever get lost,” her mother had said, “ask a security guard for help. Don’t go with anyone else!”

“Will you take me to the lost and found?” asked Leah through tears.

“Something like that,” said the guard with a smile. Leah clung tightly to his hand as he led her to the information center. Then her mother was paged over the loudspeaker.

Leah’s mom soon came hurrying down the hallway, tears in her eyes. “Oh, honey,” said Mom as she knelt down to hug her daughter, “I’m so glad to see you! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” She turned to thank the guard for his help, then taking Leah’s hand, they left the mall.

“I’m like the little sheep you read about in my Bible storybook last night,” Leah said as they drove home. “We both got lost, and that little sheep must have been scared, just like me. I was so scared all by myself.”

“I know,” said Mom. “You know what? Everyone is a little like you.”

“Is everybody lost?” Leah asked.

“Until they know Jesus, they are,” Mom replied. “The sheep in your book strayed away from the shepherd, and the Bible says everyone has strayed from God—everybody does wrong things, and sin separates us from God. The shepherd went to search for the lost sheep, and Jesus came to earth to find and save us.”

“After Sunday school one day, I told Jesus I was sorry for my sin and I asked Him to save me,” said Leah. “And He did, didn’t He?”

“That’s right,” said Mom.

“And He was glad, wasn’t He?” asked Leah with a smile. “Just like you were glad when you found me!”

Mom smiled too. “He sure was!” she replied. “There’s joy in heaven whenever a lost sheep is found.” -Carolyn E. Yost

How About You?

Have you thought of yourself as someone who is lost? That’s what you are if you don’t know Jesus as your Savior. But He came to this earth to find you—to “seek and save” you. Will you trust in Him? Then you won’t be lost anymore, and you’ll never be alone because He will always be with you. Put your faith in Jesus today!

Today’s Key Verse:
Luke 19:10 The Son of Man [Jesus] came to seek and save those who are lost. (NLT)

Today’s Key Thought:

Be found forever