Have You Seen Charlie?

 

“Mister, have you seen my dog?”, the little boy asked me as I walked in the church yard to my car  a few months ago.   While I do not know the boy’s name, we had had several brief conversations in the past.   When I told him that I  did  not think I had seen the dog, I exclaimed,  “Tell me more about your dog”.    “Well, he is black and white, and he answers to the name of Charlie”, he said.  I assured him as we ended our conversation that I would be looking out and if I saw Charlie I would certainly let him know.   While Charlie might not mean much to you, he matters to that little boy.   Boys love their dogs, and dogs love their little boys.

We read in Luke 15 about a time that a man had a lost sheep.   Like that little boy wanted to find a dog named Charlie, so this man wanted to find this sheep.   It made no difference that this shepherd had 99 other sheep back in the fold.  That missing lost sheep was important to that man just like Charlie was important to that little boy.  Can’t you see that man peering across the countryside to see if he saw that sheep?   Can’t you hear that man stopping the people  he met along the road to see if they had seen that sheep and telling them about any special markings on that sheep?

Have you seen Charlie?   He matters to that little boy.     And you know what?   You matter to someone too.   Though on your worst days you might not believe it, everyday you are a valuable treasure to God.  Why, you are made in His image even though there have been times when you have not acted like it.   Have you wandered away from God?   Though there might be times you wonder where God is, He is not far away.   God has not gone anywhere.  Like a wandering sheep, perhaps your attention has been distracted as you thought there might be greener pastures out there.   God is as close as the next prayer for all the Charlies and the Charlenes out there.    And  you know what?   You will find Him saying, “Welcome home, my child.”  Have a joy-filled week.  --  Pastor Randy Wall

 

PRAYER:     O God,   I confess that there have been times I have wandered away from your way.  Thank you, God, for the fact that I matter to you and you are never far away;  through the good shepherd, Jesus Christ, I pray.   Amen.