Are you Lost?

There was a billboard near my dad's house that showed a picture of a missing young lady. It was there for quite a while. My Dad commented on it quite often, wondering out loud if they had ever found her. About a month ago I saw that same billboard in the local paper. There were two ladies in the foreground and the billboard with the young lady's picture in the background. I read the story. This young lady had been missing for almost a year. The article went on to explain when, where, and how the tragedy
took place. She went "bar-hopping" on sixth street (the party district here in Austin) and was never seen again. The article went on to tell a little of her background and the families background. The interesting thing, to me , was that the billboard company had not charged this family for the almost a year.
Now here we are a few weeks later, the picture is gone, and in it's place is a ad for a local Vodka. I am sure the billboard owner, thinks "Well, we did our part, we left that picture up with the words; "Have you seen me?" for a year and she was not found, I guess she is dead." You see they basically have given up. Got on with their life's and forgotten all about this young lady.
But her family has not forgotten her, they may have lost hope of ever seeing her again, but they remember her everyday. She was their daughter, sister, friend, cousin, aunt sister in law. You know FAMILY.
Do you have a friend, family member that is LOST, you know not a member of God's family? Have you given up, thinking that they will never give their hearts to the Lord? You used to pray for them, talk to them about the things of the Lord, but they never responded. So you have taken the billboard down, and moved on.
God doesn't give up on ANYONE. If He did, I would not be writing this today. God is the God of 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th,...........chances, He does NOT EVER forget anyone of us. Let me repeat that, God DOES NOT FORGET YOU. It doesn't matter what you have done, how badly you have acted, God does not forget you. He WILL, however take those things in your life that you feel guilty about (sins) and "Throw them as far as the East is from the West." If you ask Him to. I have always loved that, East and West will never met, North and South do, but not East and West.
So if you have a lost friend of family member, keep that billboard up, don't let anyone take it down, do whatever you have to, to let that person know you and especially God have not forgotten them.
If you are that person who is not living like you know you should be, and feel guilty about it, when you get right down to it. Ask God to forgive you , talk to your family or friends that have been praying for you, and thank them for keeping the billboard up and lit up.