Yuletide

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save those who are lost."

- Jesus, Luke 19:10

"As we travel along this road called life, occasionally we will realize that we are lost. And when that happens, we need to let go of the woulda, coulda, shoulda… and just ask for help."

- Anonymous

Anyone feel like they're drowning in the "Yule Tide" this year?

More than in most Christmases past, this one seems to have arrived way more quickly and with way more pressure to step up and make up for the one "lost" last year.

And yet, in the frantic craziness of this Christmas, do you know the one thing that stands out for me? Someone who does their job really well!

I was walking down the crowded aisle of Home Depot last week, marveling at all the dazzling Christmas displays… a huge Snowman, tricked out trees, life-size reindeer, and of course, a 10' blow up Santa Claus for your front yard. The truth is… I was lost. I had been looking for spray-on glitter paint for the last 15 minutes, and was getting frustrated… until I hit the Christmas aisle. And now… I didn't mind my lostness quite as much. You see, my lostness was tempered, momentarily, by the "stuff" of Christmas. Anybody know what I'm talking about?

Two weeks ago, you were so frustrated by your lack of direction, or that empty feeling in your heart that you cannot shake, or the loss of that relationship, or that bad circumstance you can't control, or that nagging pain that will not go away, or that irritating person at work who will not stop… And then, the “Yule Tide” hit… and, for a moment at least, you were swept up in "the stuff" of Christmas… buying gifts, making plans, setting up trees, putting up decorations.  And, like a shot of novocaine, it temporarily numbs out our "lostness."

But, when I got to the end of the Christmas aisle, I suddenly remembered what I came for and could not find. Seeing a guy wearing that classic orange apron, I said, "Hey, I'm lost. Can you tell me where the spray paint section is?" He looked at me and said, "No, I can't. I'm new. This is my first day. But let me know if you see any Duct Tape.... I'm looking for some." What?! Sometimes the person who’s helping you is more helpless than you are.

Sometimes the person who’s helping you is as lost as you are.

Frustrated, I made the decision to leave the store without finding what I came for. Just as I neared the exit, an older man in an orange apron came up to me and said, "You look lost… how can I help you?"

Wow! Do you know the gift that is? It's the relief that someone knows where I can find what I'm frantically looking for.

Turns out, this guy's job all Christmas season is just to wander that store all day long looking for people who are lost… ‘cause he knows where everything they're looking for is in that store.

Listen… if there's a nagging sense of "lostness" that lives just below all the "stuff" of Christmas for you this year, I want to remind you of the Good News that the God of Heaven has seen your lostness, and He made the great Leap to come down into your neighborhood just to say to you, "You look lost, how can I help?" Wow! What a relief! What a gift! Turns out… God's job all Christmas season is just to wander the earth all day long looking for people… like you and me... who are lost.

‘Cause He knows where everything you and I are looking for is in this life. AMEN

Pastor Harry

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