Finding What Wasn’t Lost – Following Jesus From the Edges

Finding What Wasn’t Lost –

Pastor Calvin Cook

December 31, 2025

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:10-12 (NIV)

This morning, I am wrapping up the focus on Advent and Christmas for 2025. As I did my evening prayers and through the night prayers, those moments I wake up and instead of turning to a screen, or to worry, or all the things I need to do, I talk to God and basically listen.

Last nights thoughts and prayers kept circling around the three verses when the angel (s) appeared to the Shepherds inviting them to find the Christ child. These verses through all the years of hearing them have been written on my heart. But through the night – I went deeper into three core values of these three verses that I would like to share with you as we close out 2025 with a hopeful expectancy of what we need to take into the new year to live a more hopeful and transformed life.

1. Do Not Be Afraid – Throughout this season of the year the words spoken to Mary, Joseph, and to the Shepherds become essential to us today and all that we are going through. Regardless of what is causing you fear, anxiety, stress, frustration, resistance, and a multitude of other feelings and stressors – hear these words – “do not be afraid”. Which leads us to the why and number 2 –
2. “a Savior has been born to you”. Yes this that happened in that quiet quaint place called Bethlehem. This was not only the availability of God becoming fully human but was made personal. That the God of all creation, who was seeking to save lost people, nations, and a world so lost in sin and confusion was now through the Angel’s invitation making it very personal. As always, a holy desire in my heart has brought me to the personal understanding and movement of God for a personal relationship with God. Whether it is by acknowledging God, accepting Jesus as Savior, allowing the Holy Spirit as an advocate speaking directly to us, we have a God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who is with us, around us, in us and working through us. We as one becomes part of many the church, the multitude of followers who because of what God is doing in us personally will magnify and bring many nations to the manger to experience this loving God found in the birth of a baby in Bethlehem.

Which brings us to 3 – and the words “You will find”. Whoa! Wait! Here once again is the personal relationship God is desiring to have with us. Inviting us to the manifestation of God for all people that will bring unspeakable joy. I don’t know about you, but I am desiring more Joy, Hope, Peace, and Love than I could ever imagine or ask or receive in any other way.

But all of this will take all of us adopting a very important resolution in our lives. We can’t find what isn’t lost. God has always been there. Since the very beginning of time, God’s has been present and remains present yet today in the form of God’s awesomeness and power, through the salvation found in Jesus Christ, the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. But most importantly we don’t have to search! God isn’t lost! God is here and there! God is available. We are the ones who are lost. We are the ones who have been hiding. We are the ones who have been doubting. We are the ones who have been resisting. We are the ones who have tried to be controlling. We are the ones who are trying to find something that isn’t lost, never was and never will be…………

May we leave all these doubts, fears, and frustrations behind us and encounter the living God in all that we do, who we are, and strive towards holiness and righteousness. See you next year !