By Rosalynn Smith, PhD
Pastor of Mission & Adult Education

He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”
Matthew 2:8

Have you ever lost something? Perhaps a loved one, your health, trust in someone, or even your sense of purpose? If the loss was recoverable, did you pursue it? Long for its return? Search tirelessly to recover it? Or did you send a stranger to look for it on your behalf?

The answer seems obvious. When something we value is lost, we pursue it ourselves. The thought of entrusting a perfect stranger to recover something we deeply cherish seems absurd. Yet this is precisely what King Herod did. He sent others to search for the ONE who held all the answers to his problems.

Jesus—the child Herod sent strangers to find—is still the answer to all we long for today. Reconciliation, healing, hope, restoration, and identity are found in Him alone. The loss we feel in life can only be fully met and restored through the presence of Emmanuel, “God with us.” God’s promise in Jeremiah 29:13 is an open invitation: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

During this season, we often find ourselves searching for the perfect gifts—things that bring momentary happiness yet fail to satisfy long-term. But Jesus is the ultimate gift. He is the answer to every question, the solution to every problem, and the satisfaction our hearts long for, not just for a season but for eternity.

So, as you search for the perfect gift, know this: the invitation to seek Him is always open. He is not far off. Don’t send others to find Him on your behalf. Go to Him yourself. The search for Jesus ends in infinite joy, eternal satisfaction, and the recovery of all that truly matters. Will you seek Him today?

Our Father, thank You for being the answer to everything we have lost and everything we long for. Help us to seek You with all our hearts and trust in Your promise to be found.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.