Lost and found

I was born and brought up in the small East Yorkshire village of Keyingham, which lies about 10 miles south east of Hull.  These days 10 miles doesn't seem very far, but in the late 50s is was a rare occurrence for us to travel into the big city.  If we did ever venture into Hull, it seemed to a young boy an enormous and perhaps slightly frightening place, albeit quite exciting at the same time.  As long as I was with Mum and Dad I enjoyed the experience.

I clearly remember one particular traumatic trip into Hull.  Indeed, the memory of it is still so vivid all these years later that I could take you to within a few feet of where it happened.  I was with my parents, and we were walking along a particular street.  I was probably enjoying window gazing, and trying to take in some of the sights and experiences of the city which were far removed from my regular village life.  I'm not sure how this happened, but I suddenly realised that my parents were no longer in sight - I was lost and alone in this vast place!

It was probably not much more than a few seconds that I was lost, but the enormous feeling of relief which I experienced when my parents came back to look for me is hard to describe.  In my young mind, I knew that if I was with them I was safe - nothing could harm me.

I was talking recently with an elderly lady who was telling me about her teenage years (also in the countryside, but not anywhere near where I grew up).  On occasions she would go to nearby villages to play the piano.  Sometimes, by the time she headed home it was getting dark, and there was a particular wooded area which she found quite spooky.  She certainly didn't like to pass that way on her own in the dark!  She told me that her dad would come to meet her at a certain point on her homeward journey; there was a particular stile on which he would sit waiting for her, smoking his pipe.  The sight of the red embers of her dad's pipe would bring great comfort.  Just like me, she felt safe with her dad.

As I was listening to this account, and also recalling my own experience, I recognised the obvious parallel with our walk through life.  When we face difficult periods in life, they are so much harder to cope with if we feel alone and isolated, without support.  The good news is that we never have to be alone.  I think of the words of Moses spoken to Joshua, who was to take on the responsibility of leading God's people, ‘Be strong and courageous ... The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged’  (Deuteronomy 31.6).

I put my hand into the hand of Jesus when I was just 5 years old.  Though there have been times when I've not held on very tightly, and times when I've taken my eyes off him and allowed anxiety to enter my mind, I know that he has never let go of me.  All those years ago on the streets of Hull I found security in the presence of my parents.  How much greater is the eternal security we can know through our heavenly Father.