By SUNITTA CHILAKA –

When l am invited for a function, l select a specific outfit to wear on that day. If l don’t happen to see it l search diligently as if it is the only attire in the wardrobe, whatever hours it takes and l do not rest until l find it.
There are other attires in the wardrobe which can suit the function but just because l have something specific to wear and my heart is into it, l search without ceasing.
I believe this is your story also, we spend much time searching for lost things and sometimes we search for glasses which are right in our hand or car keys which are on the table right behind us. To some they can even miss church, just because what they wanted to wear is dirty or they didn’t find it in time. We spend most of our time searching.
We behave like characters Jesus used in the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the lost coin. They had others but searched for the one which was lost and celebrated with friends after finding the lost ones. Luke 15:1-10.
Jesus spent three years searching, not for material things but for the lost souls. He’s still searching for the lost. Where did He find you? At a night club or living life as rebel? Wherever you were, the savior came looking for you because you are valuable to him. You are worth every moment of the search.
According to The Student Bible Dictionary, salvation also means safety, deliverance from evil, eternal life as stated in Isaiah 12:2 and Luke 19:9. Salvation comes only by God’s grace and through Jesus Christ when a person accepts Christ as Lord and Savior- Acts 4:12 and Titus 2:11. It begins on earth and finds completion at death or at Christ’s return.
Salvation is noun which also means deliverance from the power and effects of sin, danger or difficulty by God’s intervention.
Dr Luke puts it betterwhen he writes “There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10.This reminds me of another parable, the lost son who came back to his father’s house after spending all his inheritance unwisely and the brother complained as to why the father was so happy. These were the words from his father upon seeing him, Luke 15:32 “But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found.”
Both the Old Testament and New Testament make reference to being saved from physical danger, being delivered or rescued from sin.
Jesus fulfilled this Old Testament hope, for he came to die in order to save sinners from the guilt and power of sin. We cannot do anything to save ourselves; instead, to receive God’s salvation we must believe in Jesus.
When we do so, he removes our guilt and we receive forgiveness for our past sins. We start living right now in Christ and in his resurrection power.
The cost of salvation being the blood of Jesus is beyond our comprehension. He was executed in our place, setting us free and removing our guilt.
Yet for us to experience his pardon, we need not and in fact cannot, pay anything, we receive it through faith alone.
The joy of the gospel is this: God accepts us because of what Christ has done for us. The cost is complete giving our lives to Christ and accepting him as our Lord and personal savior, just as he was completely submissive to the father so shall we be also.
As Christians we must preach the good news of God, so that the lost are saved and receive salvation.
There is so much, so very much for you to rejoice in. God wants a relationship with us not to condemn us, but to free us. He offers redemption through Jesus- not because we have done something to deserve it but because he loves us.
“For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:17 NIV.
Hebrews 2:3 NIV “How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?
This salvation which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.”
We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we heard so that we do not drift away.
This one verse contains more wisdom that most salvation manuals combined, if heeded, it could virtually eliminate backsliding from the catalog of human experience.
Remember, “God has made salvation available to all people, regardless of their background or sins committed. Salvation is for all who want it.
Roman 11:11NIV.This is where we find true comfort, humans crave for comfort from infancy in our mothers arms.
When we grow older in our hearts we long for tenderness, even hardened criminals weep for compassion in the isolation of a prison.
All these things are wrapped up in salvation, God will comfort even those who have wronged him so long they are ready to accept Jesus as their Lord and personal savior, Isaiah prophesied about salvation Isaiah 25:9 and 40: 1-2.In your everyday Christian life put on salvation as your helmet, Ephesians 6: 17 NIV.