10 Mar Lost But Now Found

Many of us like to pretend that we have it all together, that all of our ducks are in a row. No one can know that we struggle, and we certainly hesitate to admit needing assistance of any kind. We are constantly chasing what we believe will make us more money, help us obtain more fame, and allow us to present ourselves in a superior light. In a world obsessed with perfection, even those who walk with the Lord face the temptation of believing that in order for the Father to love us, we must exude characteristics of a “good Christian.” However, you and I tend to forget that we were once dead in our sins, doomed to a fate that was quite the opposite of perfection.

Child of the Most High God, do you know who you once were?

While it is important to understand that followers of Christ are no longer slaves to sin, we cannot simply forget where we once lived: in sin and in absolute disobedience to God. The lifestyle that we were once immersed in provides a stark contrast to the one that believers are called to live. Ephesians 2:3 describes our former way of life as “gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its own desires” and because of these choices, we were subject to the wrath of God. It seems like a sad story here, but just when all hope seems lost, the hero steps in to save the day.

One of the most powerful phrases in Scripture is the simple, yet profound expression, “but God…” Anytime you read these two words together, I encourage you to take a look at the verses before it. I am sure you will notice that an unpleasant situation frequently prefaces this phrase. Even still, when you read those two words, you know that something so merciful and loving is about to take place.

In verse four of Ephesians 2:4, we learn a bit more about the heart of our Father. It states, “But God is so rich in mercy and He loved us so very much…He gave us life.” Because of God’s affectionate characteristics, He reached into the miry pit and saved us, making us alive with Christ. If you do not first recognize that you were lost, a sinner in need of a Savior, you will completely miss the beauty of being found. When you compare the life that you lived to the new life given to you in Jesus, the love of Christ will surely bring you to your knees in thanksgiving.

Child of the Most High God, do you know who He is?

The God that saved you from your messy life is a God who loves you and wants what is best for you. His plans will always be far better than anything we could imagine on our own. Because God is rich in mercy, full of love, and overflowing with grace, He saved us from our own path of utter destruction and chaos. He expressed His kindness to us through the gift of His son, Jesus Christ. You and I must realize that without the love of the Father, we would be right back where we started, in a heap of sin and shortcomings. If it were up to us, we would still be sinking in the pit.

This new life that we live has nothing to do with us, but everything to do with Jesus. It is a free gift from our heavenly Father, one that He lavished on us with such grace. Salvation is not rewarded to us due to any of our accomplishments, but is merely a gift that is an overflow of the immense love of God. He saw our struggle, pain, and endless chase of perfection and had mercy on us. God loves us just as we are, but He loves us entirely too much to leave us this way. His grace is a direct revelation of His character. He is, in fact, a good, good Father.

Child of the Most High God, do you know who you are?

Now that we are alive in Christ, we are free to put off the ways in which we once lived. Child of God, you are free to lay your life at His feet and to stop chasing what you will never be able to catch. Stop trying to win the approval of the world. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that “we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Long ago, before the foundation of the world, God chose to love you before you even had the opportunity to perform. Choosing you, adopting you, and redeeming you were all choices He made simply because He loves you. You and I must take a stand to fight the soul drifting which causes us to believe the lies of the enemy. Our value, significance, and worth is not found in our performance or from anything we do on our own, but is found in Christ alone. Rest in the fact that you are a masterpiece, intricately designed by the Creator who loves you with an intimate and passionate love which you will not be able to find anywhere else.

We shouldn’t forget the lives we once lived, but we can be reminded of the grace of our Father by looking ahead to the life He has called us to in Jesus. As you look back at all He has done in your life, dwell on this beautiful phrase that summons the sinner to his knees: I once was lost, but now I am found.

-Hannah Smith