ALERT!

Oct 17, 2010

Before I left for church, I checked the weather on my computer and I noticed a red “Alert” box which I had only seen before when there was inclement weather. The sky was blue and the sun was shining so I really could not figure out why an alert was posted. My curiosity caused me to click on the alert warning. A child abduction, “AMBER alert”, had been issued that morning and after describing the young child, it stated the child was considered to be in immediate danger. When I read this, my heart went out for the child and his family and I started to lift them up in prayer. I prayed specifically that the child would be returned to his parents safely and that no harm would come to him. 

As I prayed for the abducted child, the Lord started to speak to me. I thought about how scared the child must be, all that could happen to the child, and what his parents must be feeling. I felt the Lord speaking to me that although it was good to pray for this child, where was my compassion and urgency to pray for those who are spiritually lost in my life? I could picture the enemy in a black van roaming around the earth like a lion looking for someone to devour. The thief, who comes only to steal and kill and destroy (John 10:10) was filling his van with the lost who have been enticed and carried away by the enemy.

The word abduction stirs in us a fury toward the one who illegally carries a child away from his parents. Yet are we unperturbed when we see those who were created by him and for him being abducted by the enemy. The very mission of Christ was to seek and save what was lost. (Luke 19:10) Why then are we, the church, ignoring the alert signs for those who are lost?

The Lord has shown me that my pockets are full of good seed to sow, but I have focused only on filling my pockets and have forgotten the importance of scattering the seed. Seeds were meant to be planted and they are useless if they stay in my pockets. In fact, they can never have a chance to grow if they are not scattered. It is time to stop focusing only on MY relationship with Jesus and MY understanding of the Word and MY prayer requests only and to go after the lost to take back what the enemy has stolen!

In 1 Samuel 30, when the Lord’s enemies took what belonged to the people of God, the Lord spoke in verse 8 and said, “"Pursue them," he answered. "You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue." In verse 18-19 we see, “David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back.” 

This should not be some startling revelation if you have been found in Him and are already in relationship with Jesus the Christ. However, this should be a reminder that every day there is an “alert” that has gone out issued from the King of Kings. It is time to take back what the enemy has stolen and return everything back to the Father.  

P.S. In case you were wondering, I later found out that the abducted child was found safe. Will we be so fortunate to hear the same for those that the Lord has entrusted to us?