Some years ago, “Lost” posters appeared in my city picturing a homely looking dog named Sidney. A woman vacationing in Mexico had rescued Sidney after the stray was hit by a car, paid for her vet bills, and nursed her back to health. Then the woman flew Sidney to her home city and found a willing owner. But 12 hours after moving into her new home, Sidney ran away. The original woman offered a reward, and it grew as the months ticked by . . . to a whopping $10,000. Seven months later and 60 miles away, Sidney was finally found. She was lurking around the shed of someone who threw her a hot dog every once in a while. 

How does the story end? The woman, the rescuer, paid the reward . . . and adopted that unpedigreed pooch herself.

Sidney’s story is ours. We may as well hang a “Lost” sign on our souls. Apart from our God, we have no worth. Even when we know and taste his love, we often skitter from his will. We prefer to live by our sinful instincts, hoarding our resources, abusing our bodies, gorging on unhealthy pastimes rather than seeking God’s banquet of mercy. 

But like Sidney, we’ve been rescued at great expense. Not $10,000 but our Savior’s priceless blood and perfect life. He loves us despite ourselves. He calls us to himself in his Word. He rejoices to adopt us as his own. 

“Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18).