Matthew 18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

Before I ended yesterday’s devotional with this question, I hinted at something important about the answer to be searched out. “How it feels to be truly alone.” We begin to seek that connection early in life without truly understanding its importance. We seek companionship, we seek friends, we seek lovers, and none of those things satisfy true loneliness. That is because God placed in us a desire to know Him.

Have you ever felt alone in a crowd? Is it because you don’t know anyone there? How about when the room is full of friends, do you sometimes feel alone then? How about when you are with your lover, do you ever feel alone then? If you can honestly say yes, then you are sensing what it means to be lost.

Being lost is about being separated from your creator. He knows where you are, your every thought, your every deed, and your every emotion, all are within His grasp. He is that close. So why do you feel lost?

It is because you have not invited Him into your heart.

I will admit it isn’t easy to let the God of the universe into your heart. It can be very scary. He will expose every little dirty thing in your life to the light of truth and you will see yourself like never before. It isn’t like you don’t know. Those things often keep us from surrendering. Knowing that it is a surrender is scary, but you will be surrendering to the One who loves you purely.

Romans 8:6-8 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

We often fear being able to please God and allow that to keep us from surrendering. You cannot be spiritually minded without surrendering and ending the enmity, so what chance to you stand in the enemy camp?

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

I woke up this morning a little confused of the date. I was off by a week. Realizing that I searched my computer files for my latest devotional to post. It was empty. I did not have one prepared. That is unusual for me. I was at a loss, first the date, now resource materials.

Now it is quiet time. Time to get inspired. Blanks, I am shooting blanks. Nothing seems to be within my reach. Maybe I need to do some bible study. Maybe the Word will speak to me, so I open up my bible app and there it is, Romans 8:1, my all-time favorite reminder.

Romans 8:1 has been my go to verse for a long time. It is my centering verse. Where am I? What am I doing? Are you in the Spirit or in the flesh? Those questions seem easy to me now but there was a time when it was not so easy to tell. I’ve forgotten how difficult the past was for me. Romans 8:1 didn’t always hold this same significance for me.

I can barely remember now that moment when the light when on for me when the depth of understanding of what Romans 8:1 revealed. It sounds simple now but it wasn’t that way so many years ago. I’ve lost touch with how it feels to be lost and wandering. I’ve lost touch with how it feels to be truly alone.

How can I express to those reading right now what it feels like to be truly found for the first time, if I cannot remember being lost? I can remember back to a time before Christ, way back when I was stupid, naïve, and pleasure seeking. That kid didn’t know he was lost.

Are you lost?