This is a story I might have shared in a message a few years back, but the warm weather reminded me of it…and I feel compelled to tell it again. When I was a kid, our family would attend a county fair in Greenville, Ohio, almost every year. I think I was about eight years old when this incident happened.

I was walking with my dad, holding his hand and taking in the sights. There was so much to see! Arcade games galore with the coolest of prizes and rides that reached the sky and lit it with all the bright lights as well.

We walked some distance with me watching all the sights and then I turned to say something to my dad. When I looked up the man I was holding hands with wasn’t my dad, but a complete stranger. Somehow, with all the bright lights and bumper to bumper crowd I had gotten separated from dad.

I immediately panicked and began looking around…he was nowhere in sight. I searched and searched, but couldn’t find him. I eventually wandered to the end of park and sat down against a tree…tearful and afraid.

I found out later that my mom and dad had my name announced over the loudspeaker with instructions on where to go, but I never heard a thing with all the noise of the fair.

As I leaned against that tree for what seemed like an eternity, I thought I heard someone say my name…it was my mom and dad…they had found me. That experience gave me a great appreciation for reunions early on in life.

As I think again about that experience, it makes me think of how life can be a lot like what I went through. We are going along in life, holding our Heavenly Father’s hand and things seem great. But we begin to look around at all the world has to offer…bright lights, cool prizes and lots more. It is so captivating that we take our eyes off our Father and get caught up in what’s around us. Finally, we look up and instead of holding hands with our Father, we are holding hands with the world.

Our Father tries to call to us through His Spirit, but the noise of the world drowns out His voice. But He never gives ups…He keeps seeking us…calling our name. If we are willing to be found, He will find us. However, the best advice we can find to keep from getting lost is found in Hebrews 12: 1-2, which says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

May we all keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and hold his hand through the walk of life. It will make all the difference!

With Love,

Pastor Bruce