“Hey, I found Larry’s toy truck,” yelled Terry to the mothers who were standing at the top of the ravine. Terry and two other teens had been searching the area along the railroad tracks at the bottom of a ravine for clues for missing Larry.
“I think this is his hat,” called one of the other teens, who was searching a little farther down the tracks.
Among the small group of mothers, who were watching and listening as the scouts searched the area below, stood the mother of four-year-old Larry. These reports brought a cry from her, as they seemed to confirm her worst fears.
It was one of those warm, bright days of early spring when boys and girls want to play outside. Larry had been shut up inside the house for almost two weeks because of the cold, gray March weather. But today the clouds had blown away and it had warmed up enough for a little boy to go outside to play.
Larry had on his play clothes and his hat to cover his ears. Best of all, he had a new toy truck that he could finally play with in the dirt. After he had been outside for 30 minutes, Larry’s mother went to the door to check on him. He was not in the yard.
She threw on a coat and went out to look for Larry. She went first to check at their neighbors, the Jansens. He was probably there with his friend Scott. No, they hadn’t seen him. Scott was inside with a cold. She continued to look farther and farther down both sides of the street. As she called Larry’s name and got no answer, she began to feel panicky. Where could he be?
Terry and two friends were just returning from a Scouts meeting. By this time Mrs. Jansen and several other mothers were helping Larry’s mother look for him.
“Can we help?” asked Terry.
“I’m frantic!” said Larry’s mother. “He’s been gone for almost two hours.”
“We’ll look down by the tracks,” said Terry. “Maybe you should call the police. They have dogs that are good at picking up a trail.”
Kindly, Mrs. Jansen said, “I’ll call them. You go with the boys. I’ll also call my husband and see if he can come home quickly.”
“Thank you,” said Larry’s mother. “I’m so worried. I wish his father were back from his business trip!”
Mrs. Jansen ran to her house while Larry’s mother and some of the other neighbors continued their search along with the scouts. After Mrs. Jansen called the police, she called her husband’s work number. “Henry,” she said when he answered, “come home quick! Little Larry next door has wandered off and we can’t find him anywhere!”
Ten minutes later everyone was there. Two policemen in a police car came with their lights flashing. Mr. Jansen came racing down the street in his car and squealed to a stop. It was right around then that the scouts found Larry’s toy truck and his hat.
As the police and the scouts organized into search parties to check the heavy brush areas along the tracks, Mr. Jansen thought to himself, “Larry is fascinated with trucks. I wonder ... ?” He jumped into his car and called to his wife, “I’ll be back in a few minutes. I’ve got an idea.”
Mr. Jansen drove four blocks down Railroad Street to the Meyer Sand and Gravel Company. As he drove into the yard, he noticed a large gravel truck being loaded by a big conveyer belt. Dust and gravel were flying around, and there was lots of noisy equipment. And there, sitting on the ground watching all this activity, was little Larry. His shoes were muddy, his hands and face were grimy from the flying dust, but he was happy as he sat watching the trucks and the other equipment.
“Hi, Mr. Jansen,” he said somewhat surprised. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you, Larry; you’d better come along with me” was his reply.
“Oh, okay, but it sure is fun here!” exclaimed Larry.
As they drove back towards his house, Mr. Jansen explained to Larry how worried everyone had been when they couldn’t find him. “Don’t you know, Larry,” he said, “that you can’t go anywhere you want without telling your mother? Even the police are looking for you!”
As they neared Larry’s house, Mr. Jansen began honking his horn. Before the car had even stopped, Larry’s mother was there. She quickly opened the door and picked up her dirty little son and hugged him tightly. The search was called off. Larry was home.
That evening Scott Jansen, Larry’s friend, saw him playing in his front yard.
“Hi, Larry,” he called. “Did you get spanked when you got home?”
“No,” said Larry, “Mommy didn’t spank me. She took me in the house and gave me a bath and clean clothes. Then she just sat and hugged and kissed me for an hour,” he said in disgust.
Larry was received home with great joy by his mother. We read in the Bible that “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that [repents]” (Luke 15:1010Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. (Luke 15:10)). Each of us has wandered away from the God who loves us. But God, in His great love, sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to look for us and to save us. Everyone who is found by Him is given a wonderful, joyful welcome into His family. If you have a Bible, read Luke 15:11-24,11And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. (Luke 15:11‑24) and see if you can list all the wonderful gifts the father gave to his son who had run away and wasted all his money, but then returned home. Then you will have a little idea of the joy God has and all the wonderful gifts He gives us, when we return to Him.
Messages of God’s Love 12/10/2023