"For the Son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." - (Lk. 19:10).

Two friends were about to begin a round of golf. On the first tee one of them noticed that the other had only one golf ball. He asked him, "Don't you think you'll need more than one ball to play the whole round?" "Oh, no," replied his friend, "this is a very special golf ball, and it's the only one I'll need all day." "But what if you hit it into the water?" his friend asked. "No problem," was the response. "This golf ball floats. I'll be able to find it." "But what if you hit it into the deep rough or the woods?" "No problem, this golf ball has a homing device. I'll be able to find it." "Well, what if it gets dark before we finish our game, and you hit it into a sand trap?" No problem, this golf ball is flourescent. I'll be able to find it." "Well," said his friend, "that is a special golf ball. Where did you get it?" "I found it."

At one time all of us were lost because of our sins and Jesus came seeking us so He could save us from our own misdeeds. Being found by Him ought to fill us with appreciation and cause us to want to express it in useful, practical service in His kingdom. That golf ball we talked about was really a beneficial tool to its finder, providing him with many reminders of how fortunate he was to have such a useful instrument, and just like it, we who are Christians should provide some rewarding, useful service to our Finder. John Newton expressed it well in one of the most loved of all Christians hymns when he wrote, "I once was lost, but now am found, was blind but now I see." Just think about it - lost but found; blind but seeing - and all because of Jesus! Doesn't that fill you with thanksgiving?

And now the really important question: What can you do today by way of practical service to express your gratitude to the one who came seeking to save you from sin?

Lonnie Ritchie

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