“And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.” Luke 2:43-45
March 5th, 2010, began as a good day. I was at Camp Shelby in Mississippi, getting ready to deploy to Iraq as an Army Chaplain. That day was called “Tiger Day,” which was the mobilization ceremony for the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
Once the ceremony ended, our brigade would get a four-day pass. After two months at Camp Shelby, I was eager to see my family.
I had spoken with my wife, Amanda, on the phone the night before. I knew she would be in the crowd at “Tiger Day.” I knew Amanda and the kids would be watching and waiting for me to be dismissed. I was excited to see them.
Thousands of people came to “Tiger Day.” After the ceremony, I had to make my way through the crowd to find my family. When we finally found each other, we hugged and kissed. It felt wonderful to be with them again.
Amanda looked beautiful. She was about seven months pregnant with our youngest son, John, and she had a special glow.
Our son Timothy was four years old then. He wore a shirt that said, “I love my Dad!”
But it was our daughter Abby who really touched my heart. She was six years old and looked so beautiful. She looks a lot like her mom, thank the Lord. Abby has always had me wrapped around her little finger. She’s always been Daddy’s girl.
Abby ran up and held onto me, not wanting to let go. She told me how much she missed me. I knelt down and gave her Eskimo and Butterfly Kisses. We hugged tightly, and I had to wipe away tears.
The Army had set up big tents with free Cokes, hot dogs, and burgers. We got our drinks, and Amanda and Timothy held them while Abby and I waited in line for hot dogs. Abby kept holding my hand and wouldn’t let go.
While we stood in line, I turned my back on Abby for just a moment. When I looked back, she was gone. I didn’t panic right away because I thought she must be nearby. There were people everywhere, so she couldn’t have gone far.
I made my way through the crowd to get back to Amanda and Timothy, but Abby wasn’t there. I thought she had gone back to her mom, but she was missing.
Amanda and I started to panic. We had lost our little girl. I ran frantically through the crowd, but she was nowhere to be found.
Amanda and I were crying. I started to think about the terrible things you hear on the news, and I feared the worst.
I used the public address system to announce that my little girl was missing. People started helping us search. Moments quickly turned into minutes. My little girl was missing. I cried out for help and prayed for God’s help. I was desperate to find her. Five minutes passed, then ten. Ten minutes feels like forever when your child is missing.
Suddenly, I heard Amanda shout, “There she is!” I saw Abby through the crowd, surrounded by ten or twelve soldiers. Some soldiers from my unit had found her about a hundred yards away. She had gotten separated from me and decided to go back to the bleachers where we had watched the “Tiger Day” events. I thank God for those men who found my daughter and brought her back.
Amanda and I were desperate to find our daughter. In the Bible, Mary and Joseph were also desperate to find Jesus when they lost Him. Are you longing to find Jesus?
The point is that if Jesus is not your first love, look for Him. If Jesus is not the main thing, then look for Him. Look for Him. Cry out to Him in desperation.
Have you lost sight of Jesus? He is right here. Come to Him today. He is here, and He’s waiting for you.
