Lost and found

In the song ‘Amazing Grace’ the first verse reads:

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost, but now am found

Was blind but now I see” (John Newton, 1772)

I think we all understand that the author isn’t talking about being physically lost (i.e. “lost in the bush”) but is referring to a mental or spiritual state.

Sadly, a lot of people have this feeling of being ‘lost’, feeling unhappy with their life and unable to see any positives for the future. We’re told this has become worse during the COVID-19 pandemic, whilst people have been in lockdown, become ill and lost jobs etc.

We know from the bible that God doesn’t want anyone to feel lost. He sent Jesus to provide hope and meaning to our lives. Jesus told a parable about a young man who took his inheritance and moved away from home. He wasted all the money on having a good time, but then the money ran out. A famine hit and the young man found himself homeless and starving.

Finally, he realised that he needed to go home and apologise to his father. At least then he wouldn’t be starving to death! But when he got home, his reception was much better than he had expected. His father threw a party to welcome his lost son home! He didn’t care about the wasted money, or even the selfishness of the young man – he was just glad to see him. The man said, “‘For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”  (Luke 15:24, NIV)

Do you see what Jesus was getting at with this story? He wants each of us to come back to God and be ‘found’.