Corona Devo 2005



Not all who wander are lost. 

That's a popular saying for t-shirts or stickers, but--are all who wander lost? 
...Or can they be found?  

And--a more pertinent question that the Bible asks of us today is, "Who is wandering?"

Who among us is wandering?  And--are we willing to bring them back?

The phrase "among us" does not suggest someone far away, or someone in another country, or someone that is not familiar to us.  If we were to discuss someone "among us", that would not mean someone far away.

"Among us" suggests and implies someone that is near.  Someone that is close to us in proximity, and possibly in heart.

Is someone among us wandering? 

Missionary work lends itself to us thinking about far away lands, and certainly there are those that are wandering in places overseas and across continents.  And missionaries (including us) are called to share the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them.  But, what if someone among us wanders away from the truth?  

Among us.  Right here, on our street.  In our family.  At work.  On our teams.  In our clubs.  At our gym...

What if someone among us wanders away from the truth?  Let's love them in Christ and bring them back! 

Has someone among us and "in our circles" wandered?  

We know the one.  
When God says, "My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth..." (James 5:19), we know the one in our heart and our life that God is referring to.  We know who is among us that is wandering.   We are picturing them right now.  

Have we told ourselves that we (little old me) can't make a difference in that person's life?  (The one that is wandering?) 

God is refuting our argument today and proclaiming and advising (through His Word) the difference that we can make. 

Bring them back.

God is calling us to bring them back to Him. 

Who among us has wandered?  What if we could have a part in saving them from death?  What if we (because God has placed us here and among them today)...what if we could have a part in God bringing about the forgiveness of their sins? 

We can!  God's word says we can. 

My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, (20) you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.  ~James 5:19-20

I'm not sure if all who wander are lost, but we can be sure that the Bible says that those that wander do not have to remain lost.  

Let's bring them back.  Let's play our part in saving that person from death and bringing about the forgiveness of their sins. 

...you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.  ~James 5:20

Isn't that (alone) enough motivation?  

And--God says that this is a local ministry assignment.  There are people who need to be introduced to the love of God on every continent of the world, but this outreach (God says) is local and right here.  Look around.  

Who is missing?  Who used to hang out with us?  Who used to be here?  Who has wandered away from the truth?  

Let's go get them today.  Let's stop over.  Let's shoot them a text.  Let's pick up the phone.  Let's let them know that we miss them from among us, and that God loves them.

Let's find the one among us that has wandered away from the truth, and let's bring them back.

And---what's in it for us?  

...you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.  ~James 5:20

That's enough of a reason for us.  In fact, that's the best reason for doing something that we've ever heard.

~~~

"Not all who wander are lost", they say...

God says for us to go and bring the sinner back from wandering.


Blessings, 

Sarah 

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com

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