BARRY was fond of adventure. He liked playing games with the other boys, but best of all he liked to wander through the woods, exploring. I think he must have imagined that he was like some of the great explorers of the past. But one day, his wanderings got him into real trouble. He got lost! He thought he knew his way through the woods that surrounded his home, but this time he wandered a little too far, and he just could riot find his way home. Soon it grew dark, and Barry began thinking about supper, and home, and Mother. You see, Barry’s father had died when he was just a little fellow. He began to feel frightened, and then he stopped and thought: “I just know that my mother will come and find me, so there is no need to be frightened.”
Soon Barry was so very tired that he curled up on a pile of branches and went to sleep. You may imagine that there was no sleep at Barry’s home that night. Barry’s mother, and his big brother hunted and shouted, but there was no sign of Barry. When it grew dark, Mother called the local, sheriff, and he soon gathered together some of the neighbors, and they started out with lanterns to hunt for Barry. All night long they searched and called. Early in the morning, the sheriff himself found Barry. He was sitting quietly on a rock, just as though he were quite expecting someone to come along and lead him home.
The sheriff was so surprised, for he quite expected to find Barry sobbing and fearful. “Barry, aren’t you frightened? Where did you spend the night?” he asked.
“No, sir, I’m not frightened, but I’m sure hungry. I spent the night curled up on that pile of branches over there. I just woke up a while ago, and I thought I would just sit here and wait, for I knew that Mother would soon come and find me.”
Wasn’t that real confidence? And I think we can learn a lesson from it. For the Bible tells us that “the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:1010For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10). You see, boys and girls are lost until the Lord Jesus has found and saved them.
If you will but tell the Lord Jesus that you are lost, and accept Him as your Saviour, you too can be saved right now.
ML-05/01/1960