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The
Way Home
Officer
Peter O'Hanlon was patrolling on night duty in
northern England some years
ago when he heard a quivering sob. Turning in the
direction from which it came, he saw in the shadows a
little boy sitting on a doorstep.
With tears rolling down his cheeks, the child
whimpered, "I'm lost. Take me home."
The policeman began naming street after street,
trying to help him remember where he lived. When that failed, he repeated the names of the shops and
hotels in the area, but all without success.
The little boy kept sobbing and pleading, “Please,
mister, take me home!”
Having
repeated all the street names and well-known
businesses that he could remember to the little boy to
no avail, Officer O’Hanlon remembered that in the
center of the city was a well-known church building
with a LARGE white cross towering high above the
surrounding landscape.
He pointed to it and said, "Do you live
anywhere near that?"
The boy's face immediately brightened.
"Yes, take me to the CROSS...
I can find my way home from there!"
If
you have ever been lost – especially as a child –
you understand how that child felt.
Alone. Confused,
even distraught.
Aching to be home again.
There is nothing more troubling than not being
able to find your way home.
The
Bible teaches that because of our sin, YOU and I are
lost.
We are separated by our sins from our Creator
(Isaiah 59:1-2) who has created us with an inherent
need to be “at home” with Him.
In fact, we are not “at home” until we have
a right relationship with God. In our sins we are off course, wandering about, not knowing
how to get home.
Although it can be numbed by futile pursuits,
there is a longing in each of us for home.
But, where is the way home?
That
little boy uttered a tremendous truth on that dark and
lonely night for TRULY.... the way of the CROSS
of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, leads home.
On the cross, Jesus bore the sins of the world,
paying the price for redemption.
On the cross, Jesus provided the way of
forgiveness, that we might be reconciled to God (2
Corinthians 5:18-21).
The way of the CROSS
leads us home to God.
The
way of the CROSS
is the way of faith
(Hebrews 11:6), repentance
(2 Corinthians 7:9-10), confession
(Romans 10:9-10), baptism
for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38), AND
continued faithfulness to His will (1 John 1:7).
Indeed,
there is nothing more troubling and jeopardizing than
not being able to find your way home.
Do NOT despair.
Go to the CROSS....
for the way of the CROSS
leads home!
God
bless you!
David A. Sargent,
Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
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