Lost and Found
Today’s Verse:
… I sought him, but I found him not. ~Song of Solomon 3:2b
Recently, I had the privilege to be part of a panel of pastors that were interviewed about current topics. I left later that afternoon to return home to the Bay Area. About two hours into my drive back, one of the secretaries at the host church called me and said, “Brother Fong, we found an iPad that was left behind. Is this yours?” My iPad has the majority of my sermons that I have preached over the last several years on it. I immediately thought, “How did I leave it behind?” As things turned out, I actually had my iPad with me, and I did not need to turn around to go back. It is an incredible relief when something lost is found. Our devotion this morning centers on something lost, but excitedly was found.
We see the reason.
The most precious privilege of the Christian life is our fellowship with the Lord. What a tragedy to come to the place of trying to seek the Lord, but not finding Him. We will not find Him in our selfish dreams. We will not find Him in the broad way, or in our worldly pursuits. We will not find Him when our attitude and spirit towards others are not right. We will not find Him when we have bitterness or unforgiveness in our hearts. We will not find Him when we live with unconfessed sin. We will not find Him by being overcommitted or too busy doing too many things. We will not find Him if we are not in our place.
We see the remorse.
The Shunammite woman became anxious and frantic when she could not find Solomon[RC1] . When we cannot find the Lord, our prayers are not answered. When we cannot find the Lord, we feel empty and miserable. When we cannot find the Lord, our life is barren. When we cannot find the Lord, we realize that we did not take good care of the precious relationship that we have with Him. Like the Shunammite woman, we must stop everything else that is going on and we need to find Him “whom my soul loveth.” If our fellowship with the Lord has lost its closeness and warmth, it is time to drop everything else and do what we must to regain the sweetness and closeness.
We see the recovery.
“I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go….” What a joy and blessing to find the one whom our soul loves! First, she said, “It was but a little that I passed from them….” You don’t have to go very far to recover your fellowship with Christ! Like the man who lost an axe head, you will find Him where you lost Him. Second, when she found him, she said that she would not let him go. Don’t let go of your prayer and Bible reading time. Don’t let go of your church attendance time and being under the preaching of God’s Word. Don’t let go of the unchanging Bible promises. Go back to where things slipped away, and take them back.
We see the recommendation.
When you recover the fellowship that was lost, we have a strong recommendation so that you don’t lose it again. First, remember how you lost it. Second, repent from being careless and slothful. Third, repeat the first works. Go back to the routine that you practiced, but do so with passion and determination that you will not let Him go, Whom your soul loveth.
Seek to grow closer and deeper in your fellowship with the Lord. Let nothing come between you and the Saviour.
Have a renewed God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Proverbs 22-23