LOST!

My friend, while in college was traveling with her church to the Dominican Republic. Her pastor had warned them against all horseplay, as TSA officers would be watching everyone and nobody was above suspicion.  While waiting in line, she recounts this story:

“As we waited in silence, we heard a piercing cry from the back of the line. A muscular man in a black t-shirt and dark jeans began screaming in Spanish and fighting his way through the crowd.  The air became thick.  My heart began to race.

The officers bolted toward the man.  Police placed their hands on their weapons: ready to shoot if necessary.  The man was undeterred. He kept fighting through the crowd, screaming.

All chatter and movement ceased in that terminal, except for the man.  He shoved people aside. His screams became louder.  He kept exclaiming the same few words, like a mantra.

TSA reached him just as he made his way through the metal detectors.  He writhed out of their control.  Gasps came from the line.

And then, the man cried out with a loud groan.  He stooped down, and picked up a two-year-old boy.  "Mi nino! Mi nino!" (Spanish for "my son") the man said over and over.  He held his boy up so we all would understand. His son had escaped from him in the line and this father was merely trying to get his boy back.

We all breathed a sigh of relief.  We got it. Of course this father would be willing to face jail time and even death to get his boy back.

That moment in the airport became a memory burn for me.  Here's why:  This is how our Heavenly Father feels about each of us.  

When we get lost, Jesus leaves everything and comes after us with the fervor of the Hound of Heaven.  He is willing to face humiliation and death so we can be safe in His arms again.”

Satan often waits for us to be “lost” in life, in activities, in distractions from God, in work, in busyness, in relationships… Whatever your “lost” looks like, be assured that he is waiting to pounce and administer the GUILT that will keep us hiding from the One who seeks us with a passion.  I hope that Amy’s story will be a memory burn for you as you allow yourself to be sought after and embraced by the One who loves you most. 

Beyond that, I hope it impacts the way you parent your children. Remember that GUILT is not the best motivator in directing their lives. Teaching them the right choices and walking beside them as they learn brings a better result. It is love that unites us and gives us the power to speak into their lives. Make sure they know that you would give EVERYTHING to make sure they are in the right place, with the Father that was willing to die to be with them.

"For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost." -- Matthew 18:11