Last Sunday I was teaching in church from the story of Zacchaeus. Luke closes the story with Jesus explaining why he came. Jesus says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10 ESV)
A challenge in seeking the lost, I explained, is that the lost don’t always think they are lost. Usually they think they’re doing just fine.
A few weeks ago, we were hosting a team at the Changing Life Center. Arrangements had been made for a van to take the team back to Chiang Rai. However, due to the amount of luggage, another vehicle was needed. I volunteered to take the luggage in our truck.
The problem was, I had no idea where this hotel was that they were going to, and I didn’t have time to research it. (The person who had made the arrangements was not there.) So I check my phone to see if perhaps the location was in Google ® maps. It was! So I turned on the GPS and had the program get me directions how to get there.
(One might ask, why not call and ask for directions. The challenge with that in Thailand is invariably I get names of landmarks/streets that 1) I don't know, 2) don't exist on or differ from what is listed on any map, and 3) don't have any signs posted to let me know when I see them.)
A couple of hours later, we get a call from some of the other team members, “Our van just arrived at the hotel, where are you?” “I’m just a few minutes away”, I replied.
The problem was, I was lost, but I didn’t know it. For as we got near the destination we found out that the location on the map was wrong. Where the map said the hotel should be, there was a temple. Our hotel, we found out, was 9 kilometers south of where we were.
Since the lost don’t always know they are lost, it was necessary for Jesus not only to save them, but also to first seek them.
When I became as Jesus-follower, I had not been look for Jesus or even any kind of religion. But Jesus knew I was lost—even if I didn’t—and He sought me.
Thank you, Jesus, for being the seeker of the lost.
