Even though I am no longer on  patrol, I still listen to calls that other officers respond to. It’s interesting to hear how other supervisors handle various situations. One day, I heard patrol officers being dispatched to a 10-86, a missing persons call. I paid close attention because these can easily turn into an all-call for assistance if a child is in danger.

Dispatch said the missing child was under the age of five. That got everyone’s attention. I listened attentively to the sergeant as he began organizing the search before he ever arrived on the scene. He directed one patrol unit to respond to the child’s residence to gather facts, and he sent others to the general area to begin a search. Good thinking.

The complainant advised that the child was outside playing and suddenly disappeared. While abductions are statistically rare, the worst-case scenario always comes to mind. The sergeant, however, was disciplined and wise. He told the responding officer to make a thorough search of the inside of the child’s house.

A few minutes later, I heard the officer on the scene say the child had been located. He was found safe, asleep under his bed. Apparently, the child had gotten tired and come inside to find a quiet place to nap. He was unaware that anyone was looking for him. He didn’t know he was lost.

Lost doesn’t always mean missing. Sometimes it refers to a spiritual condition rather than a location. In the Bible, “lost” simply means one who has strayed from God, like a sheep that wanders away from the shepherd. God has great concern for a lost soul and goes to great lengths to bring them home. Some souls don’t even realize they are lost, and they don’t know God is seeking them.

Wandering souls may not be intentionally rebelling against the Almighty. They may simply be “asleep under the bed.” They may not realize where they are spiritually or that anyone is looking for them. Those are the ones God seeks. He says He will leave ninety-nine safe ones behind just to go find the one that is lost.

That was me. I was the lost soul He went looking for. Thank God I listened when He called. As the song says, “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see.” This is the soul-saving message of God’s good news. Wake up child! The Lord is looking for you!