Easter: I AmExemplo

Lost and Found

By: Danny Saavedra

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”— John 14:6 (NIV, emphasis added)

Have you ever been lost? Maybe as a child, you wandered off at a store and ended up separated from your parents. Maybe you’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere and ended up down a road you didn’t recognize. It’s possible the GPS you were using led you down the wrong path or you were given bad directions.

If you’ve ever been lost, you know there’s an uncertainty that comes with it. When you’re lost, you really don’t know what’s out there, where you’ll end up, or what’s around the corner. You’re in unknown territory. And when that happens, you can also feel out of control—something most people are very uncomfortable with.

Being lost also brings about confusion. Many times when people get lost, they’ll say things like, “How did I end up here?” “Where did I go wrong?” or “How do I get to where I’m supposed to be?” It creates confusion and uncertainty . . . and that can incite fear.

For most people, when they got lost while by themselves it can be a very scary thing. Why? Because they feel isolated and alone. And if we’re being honest, there’s nothing scarier or worse than being alone.

Truthfully, even though we can get lost physically, which is no fun, there is nothing worse than being spiritually lost . . . to be searching for answers but none come, to be seeking refuge where none can be found, to look for peace and hope but encounter turmoil and emptiness. It’s a terrifying place, and one that we’ve all no doubt experienced. But there is good news . . . there’s a way to be found. There is one way to get out of our lost state: Jesus Christ!

In John 14, during the last supper, Jesus shared with His disciples many troubling things that would take place—things that no doubt would’ve instilled fear, doubt, and confusion. But Jesus told them to not let their hearts be troubled, because they knew the way. And then Thomas asked, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (John 14:5 NIV). And Jesus responded with this powerful statement upon which we can stand firm, secure, and be found always: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6 NIV).

Jesus is the way to God, because Jesus is Immanuel, God with us. He is the way to heaven! Anyone who is lost and searching can find salvation, freedom, abundant life, and eternal life by believing in Christ.

But guess what? This doesn’t just apply to salvation; it’s a reality you can walk in every single day! Because even as believers, we find ourselves in seasons of doubt and confusion. Even as members of God’s family, we have a tendency to become isolated and try to live the Christian life on our own. Even as the good shepherd’s sheep, we can find ourselves straying, wandering off and getting lost, falling into pits with seemingly no way out . . .

And to us, He says, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” We can always find our way back to the Father, because the Son is always with us. We don’t have to stay lost because when we know Christ and the power of His resurrection, we are found in Christ (Philippians 3:8–11). He will never leave us or forsake us. We may lose sight of Him from time to time, but He never loses sight of us. And when we call out to Him, He always shows up!

DIG: Read John 14.

DISCOVER: Have you ever been lost—physically and/or spiritually? What was the experience like? Contrast that with finding the right way to go, with being found.

DISPLAY: As we prepare to celebrate Easter tomorrow, think about where you are. Are you lost, looking for answers? If so, come to Jesus—seek Him, ask Him, and He’ll show you the way. Do you know someone who is lost? Ask the Lord to use you to show them the way. And stand firm and full of hope in who He is and what He promises us, because as we will explore tomorrow, He is alive and He is at work!