In the town where we live something frightening happened. Mrs. Thomas and her little girl, Elizabeth, were shopping in one of our large department stores. While Mrs. Thomas was looking at little girls’ dresses, three-year-old Elizabeth wandered away. It was only a few minutes before Mrs. Thomas missed her. She searched all through the children’s department, calling Elizabeth’s name, but she was nowhere to be found!
The only thing Mrs. Thomas could think to do was to ask the store employees for help. Hurrying to the customer service area of the store, she told the lady behind the counter about her lost child. The lady knew exactly what to do since it is not unusual for children to get separated from their parents. The store had a way to help find them.
Most of us can remember having been lost in a store when we were little. Perhaps it was only a few minutes that we were separated from our mommy or daddy, but it seemed like forever. The Bible tells us that we are also lost in another way, and it could be forever! We have been separated from God by our sins. Romans 3:22-2322Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:22‑23) tells us, “There is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” That shows us that every man, woman, boy and girl is a sinner, and it is our sins that come between us and God. This is the cause of our being lost. We need someone to help us, and little Elizabeth did too.
The store had a code, a special signal that told the people who work there to immediately lock all of the outside doors. Once the doors were locked, the search for the little girl began.
There is Someone searching for lost sinners too. “The Son of Man [Christ Jesus] 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)). Just as the people in the store searched for Elizabeth, the Lord Jesus, who loves you so much, is seeking boys and girls who are lost in their sins. If you have not yet received Him as your Savior, you are still lost, and He is still seeking you!
Little Elizabeth was found. That is the happy part of the story. It is where she was found and what had happened that makes the story so scary. A strange man and woman were found with her in one of the changing rooms. They had cut her hair and had started dressing her in boy’s clothes. They were about to steal Elizabeth from her mother!
These evil people are like Satan! The Bible describes Satan “as a roaring lion, [walking] about, seeking whom he may [destroy]” (1 Peter 5:88Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8)). He is the enemy of your soul and tries to steal you away from anyone who would tell you about the Lord Jesus who loves you so much He died for you. The reason Satan tries so hard to steal you is to make you miss being in heaven. He wants you to be separated from God forever. To be saved from the enemy’s hold, all you need to do is “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)).
Do you think Mrs. Thomas was happy to have Elizabeth found? I’m sure she was so very happy and relieved to have her little girl safely back that she carried her home in her arms, holding her tight. And that’s just what the Lord Jesus does when any lost boy or girl turns to Him to be saved from their sins and Satan’s hold on them.
If you have not yet truly believed on the Lord Jesus as your own Savior, you are like Elizabeth when she was lost in the store and in the hands of those evil people. All you have to do to be found is simply tell the Lord Jesus that you are lost in your sins and believe that He died for you on the cross. For every boy or girl who has come to the Lord Jesus, that loving, caring Seeker, not one is still lost. And He will never let you go! “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:3737All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)).
Had Elizabeth not been found quickly, in a few more minutes those evil people would have gotten out of the store with her. Then she might never have been found and returned to her mother. Do not wait another minute to believe on the Lord Jesus and be safe. The longer you wait, greater is the danger of being lost forever. Run to His loving, open arms right now and be safe and happy forever!
ML-03/12/2017