search.....

The boss of a big company needed to call one of his employees about an urgent problem with one of the main computers. He dialed the employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child whispering, "Hello?"

 

Feeling put out at the inconvenience of having to talk to a youngster, the boss asked, "Is your Daddy home?" "Yes", whispered the small voice.

 

"May I talk with him?", the man asked. To the surprise of the boss, the small voice whispered, "No."

 

Wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, "Is your Mommy there?" "Yes", came the answer. "May I talk with her?" Again the small voice whispered, "No."

 

Knowing that it was not likely that a young child would be left home alone, the boss decided he would just leave a message with the person who should be there watching over the child.  "Is there anyone there besides you?", the boss asked the child. "Yes", whispered the child, "A policeman."

 

Wondering what an officer would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked, "May I speak with the policeman?" "No, he's busy", whispered the child. "Busy doing what?", asked the boss. "Talking to Daddy and Mommy and the fireman", came the whispered answer.

 

Growing concerned and even worried as he heard a loud noise through the earpiece on the phone, the boss asked, "What is that noise?"

 

"A hello-copper", answered the whispering voice. "What is going on there?", asked the boss, now alarmed.

 

In an awed voice the child answered, "The search team just landed the hello-copper!"   Alarmed, concerned and more than just a little frustrated the boss asked, "Why are they there?"

 

Still whispering, the young voice replied along with a muffled giggle, "They're looking for me!"

 

It reminds me of how we act toward God at times. When we have done something that we know is wrong, we sometimes, like Adam and Eve in the garden, try to hide from God. Not physically, of course. But we try to distance ourselves from God by neglecting worship with God's people, Bible study, prayer. We try to avoid God, hoping He won't notice.

 

But like the little boy in the story, we know that God is searching for us, doing everything in His power to bring us back. And even at times when I've done something I'm ashamed of, I appreciate that so much.

 

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?....Or what woman, having ten coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?" (Luke 15:4,8)

 

Is Somebody looking for you today?

-alan smith