It was dark when four-year-old Joseph opened his eyes. He couldn’t see much, but he could tell he was lying on the floor with chairs all around him. His family was on vacation, and they had just had a busy day at a science center -so busy and tiring that Joseph had fallen asleep in the Bible meeting the family attended that evening. When he wakened, all he knew was that he was in an unfamiliar building with no family in sight.
Joseph got up and wandered around, but he never called for his mommy or daddy. If he had, his parents certainly would have heard him and answered. Joseph knew that if his family were still around, their van would be out in the parking lot. So out the door he went in search of the van.
Joseph was soon to be more alone than ever. Have you ever felt alone and scared? Almost everyone does at some time. Did you know that there is someone who knows where you are even when you are lost or alone and that He cares about you? His name is Jesus, and He loves you. If you will call on Him, He will help you.
Joseph went out to the parking lot and discovered that the van was still there, so he decided to go back into the building to look for his family again. Now there was a new problem - the door had locked behind him when he went out, and Joseph couldn’t get back into the building! Little Joseph was trapped outside in cold November weather, barefoot, and with no coat on. Now he was in serious trouble.
Jesus says to you, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will [help you]” (Psalm 50:1515And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Psalm 50:15)). Because He loves you, He is watching you, even if you’re not in trouble like Joseph was. Did Jesus see little Joseph all alone outside that night? Yes He did, and He sent someone to help him.
Joseph walked down the busy street in front of the building and sat down under a tree when he got tired. Before the cold could injure him, God sent along two men who wondered why a barefoot little boy was out so late at night and asked him who he was. Joseph was able to tell them his name and also to point in the direction he had come from. The two men took Joseph in that direction in their car until he pointed to the building where the rest of the family was.
To keep Joseph warm, one man kept him in the warm car while the other went to knock on the door to see if anyone was there. Joseph’s parents were very surprised to see their son in a stranger’s car in the parking lot, but they were very thankful to see that he was safe. As soon as the men left, they got down on their knees to thank the Lord Jesus for keeping little Joseph safe.
If you trust in Jesus, He says you will be a son or daughter to Him. Since God never sleeps, He always knows where you are and will take care of you. In fact, He already loves you so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you! Call on the Lord Jesus now. He’s waiting and ready to help you.
ML-11/01/1998