“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” – Luke 19:10
Several months ago I read Radical, by David Platt. The title couldn’t be more appropriate because it has dramatically changed my way of thinking and how I do life. God has opened my eyes to what it truly means to follow Him.
Living like Jesus requires risk. You put others before yourself. You reach out to those who are dismissed by the rest of society. You help the wounded and broken. You embrace the unloved.
Friday night I took Isabelle and Jocelyn out for a “Mommy date.” On the way home, we stopped by Georgia’s house. I rang the bell, but there was no answer. That’s odd, I thought. I was sure she’d be here. It was nearly dark and had been raining intermittently all day, so I was surprised she wasn’t home. A large package sat on her porch. Before I left, I moved the box so that it sat right in front of Georgia’s door, making it easier for her to bring inside the house.
The holiday weekend was full of activity, so I didn’t make it back over to Georgia’s until two days later. Early yesterday morning, I ran 2.5-miles before church. I purposely went down her street on my way home. The first thing I noticed was that the box on the porch was still there. Its presence meant one of two things: 1) Something had happened to Georgia, or 2) She was staying with someone. Since I knew the second scenario was highly unlikely, I was concerned.
Justin suggested calling hospitals before contacting the police. I immediately dialed the hospital closest to our house and was relieved to find out she had been admitted. Since we were on our way to church, I made plans to visit her later in the day.
As I sat comfortably in my cushioned seat during our Easter service, I couldn’t help thinking what Jesus would be doing on Resurrection Day 2011. Would he be all dressed up in His Sunday best, worshipping among hundreds of other Christians in a mega church? Or would he have been sitting by the side of a woman all alone in a hospital room?
Jesus hasn’t called us to soak in His salvation and keep His goodness to ourselves. Instead, He commands us to go out, find those who are lost, and tell them about the Lord’s amazing, life-changing love. That’s what it means to be a disciple of Christ. That’s what it means to celebrate Easter.
(This post is the most current in a series available on my Devotions page. Scroll down to find previous posts under “Her Name is Georgia.”)