Someone should have warned the Chicago Cubs about the ides of October. The dream vanished with a pop fly to left field. They were so close and yet were denied a chance to do something they have not done just shy of a century. They went to their homes with one word in mind: “Lost.”
But this is not the most heartbreaking story of October 15, 2003. There is a ten-year-old little boy lost in the forests of New Hampshire. It has been two days now and hundreds of searchers have combed the mountains where he has to be. It is getting cold out there and it has rained hard since he disappeared. It is not difficult to imagine his suffering and fear. His plight makes the story about the Cubs seem like nothing.
Lost! It is a horrible word.
Jesus told three stories about being lost. One was about a lost coin. The second about a lost sheep and the third was about a lost boy. In Jesus’ story the lost boy knew his way home. It had a happy ending. He came home.
We pray for a miracle for a ten-year-old little boy to have happy ending. The agony and despair in the face of his father is wrenching.
Then there are the masses lost for eternity because they chose not to take advantage of the offered gift of eternal life. I wonder if God ever has a good day. Yes, there is rejoicing over the rescue of just one of us. But what of the heartbreak over those lost!
Written by Roger Bothwell on October 15, 2003
PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org