Short devotion: Lost and Found - Luke 15:32

Luke 15:32     “But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”

We have a Lost and Found box in our church office. It’s full of coffee mugs, glasses, umbrellas, books, and jackets. Every now and then, we place the box out in the welcome area to see if anyone claims the items. After a couple of Sundays, we empty the box and take the unclaimed items to the Goodwill thrift store. Within a week, the empty lost and found box has a few items in it and the cycle begins again. I guess that so long as the church is open, people will always be leaving things behind.

We also have lost and found people in the pews. At some point in their lives, they have lost themselves to poor choices and bad circumstances. Some of them have had addiction problems for years, while others are just going through some really tough times. In the midst of losing their way, they have been found again by Jesus. He patiently restores them to God’s goodness and encourages our church members to embrace those who were once lost, but who are now back among us.

Getting lost is something that we can all relate to because, at some crucial time in our lives, something unexpected, crazy, or painful happens to us that leads us away from God. The good news is that we don’t have to remain lost because Christ is in the seeking business for lost souls. If we let Him, He will find us. If we pray to Him, He will restore us.

Perhaps you are feeling lost and isolated, alone and vulnerable today. It may be that your life isn’t following the plan that you had or that your expectations, hopes, and dreams may have been recently dashed. In the midst of all that troubles you, please know this: Christ is seeking to help you, embrace you, encourage you, and restore you to God’s love, favor, and kingdom. You are not alone; you have not been abandoned by God.

Questions for personal reflection

Am I currently experiencing something that makes me feel isolated from God? Am I willing to turn to Jesus and ask Him for help?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You are aware of everything that is presently happening in my life. You know my trials and tribulations, my issues and problems. In the midst of all that disturbs me and makes me feel lost, please come and find me, seek and comfort me, help and guide me. In Your Holy Name, I pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is John’s 2012 Christmas card drawing. It’s called “Starry Starry Night” and feature Christ in the manger with a little touch of Vincent in the night sky. If you would like to view a larger version of this drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8453/8012779050_7956818213_b.jpg

Sleeping in Church

I love the story of Eutychus because he reminds me of myself. When I first became a Christian, I was a ‘twicer,’ which meant that I used to go to church services twice each Sunday. I went to my Presbyterian Church in the morning, and then worshipped at an evangelical church in the evening. The preacher usually spoke for about an hour, and I always ended up sleeping against the church wall. I made sure that my seat was against the wall in order to do this.

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Bible Verse of the Day


Acts 20:9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead.



Of course, it wasn’t the preacher’s fault. It was mine. I had a great big Sunday dinner just before the service, so by the time I reached the church, I was ready to snooze. I tried everything to stay awake. I would grip the pew in front of me until my knuckles were white. Sometimes I blinked my eyes really fast or opened them as wide as I could to keep awake. Other times, I would move my toes within my shoes in order to be attentive. Eventually, all of my efforts would fail me, and I would nod off to sleep. Thankfully, I didn’t snore; otherwise someone would have woken me up.

God has a great sense of humor. When He saw the Eutychus in me, He was also busy planning to make me a preacher. Now, on Sunday mornings, I get to look at the congregation and sure enough, during the sermon, someone’s fighting and fidgeting to stay awake. If they end up sleeping, I don’t mind. Perhaps they’ve had a busy week, or were up late, or the sermon is boring. Whatever the case, to sleep in the House of the Lord is a good thing. It’s the one place where peace and love, comfort and security are meant to be experienced.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for allowing us to sleep in church and for quietly refreshing our spirits in Your Presence. Some of us come to church looking for answers, needing encouragement, and seeking rest from all our worries and busy-ness. Grant us the blessing of Your Love, and enable us to become all that You need us to be. In Your Holy Name, we rest and pray. Amen.