FOUND

By Dan O’Deens – (His ‘word’ for 2022)

Luke 15: 4-7 (NIV)

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Jesus goes to great effort to seek lost people and He greatly rejoices when they are found.

  1. People are lost until Jesus finds them.  He is the good shepherd and He leaves the 99 to go and find the ‘one.’
  2. Jesus goes to extreme measures to seek and save the lost so that they might be found.(He went to a cross for us)
  3. Jesus demonstrated His love for us while we were lost and He came to rescue us in spite of how we got so lost.He longs for us to be found.
  4. Jesus is the ‘hound of heaven.’He is relentless in his desire for you to be found.
  5. When a lost person is found, they are placed in the palm of the hand of Jesus and no one can snatch them away.When you have been found by Jesus, you experience ‘eternal life.’  You are forever His child.
  6. When you are found, all of heaven rejoices.You matter to God and His family…the Church.  You now have a place to belong.
  7. The lost ‘sheep’ in this world are so important to the creator and savior of this world that He chooses to neglect the ‘sheep’ that have already been found so that YOU can be FOUND!You are significantly important!

I like to play the game of questions.   Here is a question of eternal significance.  If you could be anything in the world…what would you be?   I would guess there are thousands of answers but only one that brings eternal fulfillment.  The best answer is “FOUND.”

We have a longing for belonging.  Life is often difficult and the path is rugged and sometimes we want to disappear, but the reality is quite the opposite.  What you really need and want is to be ‘found.’

C.S. Lewis said, “Am I lost or just less found?” Being lost is worth the being found. Do you know family, friends and neighbors who need to know Jesus? They are currently lost. Will you leave your comfort this next year and go ‘find’ them?  All I want for Christmas is for my family, my friends and my neighbors to know Jesus.

God formed us.  Sin deformed us.  The Bible informs us.   BUT…. JESUS…Transforms us.  He is drawing you to Himself.  He longs to have relationship with you.  I once was lost…but now I am found!  That can also be your story.  Will you be ‘found’ in 2022?

Life breathes into your weary soul when light is found in the space of darkness.  They key is finding the true source of life.  Jesus is pursuing you.  Stop hiding…let yourself be FOUND.