I Once Was Lost, But Now Am Found

The other day, when I was out for my walk and picking berries in the woods, I met up with my neighbor
who was walking her dog Blue.

Blue is quite a large dog and when he sees you, he often jumps up almost knocking you down.

My neighbor usually lets him run in the woods ahead of her, but has a shock collar on him, if he
gets too far ahead of her our strays from her sight.

We spoke for a few minutes, and then parted ways, to travel on separate paths.

A short while later, I felt something touch the back of my leg, and it was Blue.

I told him to go back to where his master was, so he turned and looked like he was going back.

A few minutes later, there he was again at my heels, wanting to walk with me.

I told him to go back again, but he seemed very upset and confused with me, that I wasn’t happy
to have his company.

I was tempted to backtrack to try to find my neighbor, but I’d been gone for almost 3 hours and wasn’t sure
what trail she had taken.

I remembered she always parks her vehicle at the end of the trail she takes, so slowed my pace hoping she’d
catch up to us very soon.

I began praying for God to send my neighbor, so she would not frantically search for Blue and be upset.

In a few minutes, a car suddenly appeared in the trail, racing at a high speed right at me.

I began waving my arms, for them to stop, so they didn’t run over me or my furry friend.

Suddenly 2 men jumped out and I said, I stopped you so you didn’t run over me and this dog.

The men had joyful smiles on their faces and said, this is our dog.

My wife is out in the woods crying, because she lost the dog.

Blue happily jumped in the car, and they went off to find my neighbor.

A short while later, my neighbor caught up with me, to thank me for watching her dog.

She said, her 2 previous dogs had been run over by cars, and she feared he would run out into
the road as well.

She said, she’d been pushing the shock collar button, and blowing the whistle she wears on her
neck for him to come back, but he simply ignored her.

She said, she’d been praying for God to keep him safe. God heard both of our prayers
and the story had a happy ending.

Like our friend Blue, sometimes we wander off the right path, and get lost.

God, our loving Father and Master, guides us to a friend or even a stranger, to help us
find our way back home…even when we ignore him.

Jesus said, in Luke 19:10
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.

Perhaps today, you feel lonely, lost and afraid of the future.

God sent me to guide you back to his loving arms of protection and safety.

Jesus told us…

Matthew 18:14
In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

He loves you so much that he died on the cross, so you could have eternal life.

He knows how much you’re hurting, and has all your tears in a bottle.

Your loving Father is waiting with open arms to welcome you home and heal you everywhere you hurt…
if you will only let him.

In the stillness of his presence, let him whisper in your ear…
words of comfort, peace and blessing…
driving out your every fear.

I said a prayer for you today.

Asking God to chase away…

The dark clouds passing over you…

And for his strength, to see you through.

I asked him to release your fear…

And that you’d feel his presence near.

To dry your tears and ease your pain.

For that is why our Savior came…

To give us hope when we feel lost.

Because his death upon the cross…

Bore our sins and iniquities.

So we could share eternity.

Confess your needs and trust in him…

To heal your pain and forgive your sins.

His arms of mercy and grace are such…

That we can never ask too much.

As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be

comforted in Jerusalem. And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and

your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the Lord shall be

known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.

Isaiah 66:13-14

Your sister and servant of the LORD Jesus,

Valerie Rousseau