Search and Find
In the spring of 2001, in a remote part of the Ozark Mountains of northern Arkansas, six-year-old Haley Zega was on a hike with her grandparents when they became separated at a fork in the trail. The grandparents searched frantically for her but quickly realized they were going to need help. Soon dozens (and eventually hundreds) of law enforcement professionals, first responders, and volunteers descended upon the area to aid in what became the largest search and rescue effort in Arkansas history. This is a rugged and mountainous area with steep cliffs standing over the Buffalo National River wilderness area. It’s a place where people go to get away from the world when they don’t want to be found, no easy area to search for a little girl.
The first night fell without finding her or signs of her trail. Dogs were brought in to track her scent and still no luck on the second day. By the morning of the third day, the mood was beginning to shift from a rescue effort to a likely abduction or recovery effort. That’s when two local mountain men, who were told to stay away from the search because they were not trained, decided to mount up their donkeys and get involved. They knew the area better than anyone alive. They were avid hunters and knew how animals acted in this area. They surmised that she would have naturally moved down toward the river, an area that had been excluded from the search. It didn’t take long before they spotted a small footprint in the muddy riverbank. A little while longer and there she was, lying on the river bank, weak, but still alive.
What I appreciate about those mountain men is that they didn’t let obstacles keep them out of the search. They were told they weren’t experts. They were told to stay away. They were told it would be too difficult for them. The professionals knew what was best and had narrowed the search to the most likely area. But even with these obstacles, even though it would be difficult, these men still chose to move toward the challenge and not give up. They knew the search was worth the effort.
Last Sunday we wrapped up our series on Knowing God is Loving God (Theology). This Sunday we will begin a new series looking at the Seven Churches of Revelation. Here’s the thing I’ve noticed about the book of Revelation; many find it intimidating and hard to understand. They’d rather avoid it than risk confusion or a failed search. But just because a part of the Bible is hard to understand or difficult to navigate doesn’t mean we should avoid it. All of Scripture is “breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16). The Bible itself acknowledges that there are parts of the Bible that are hard to understand, but Revelation is still in the Bible and promises great reward to those who persevere to understand its truths. In fact the very title of the book implies that there are things concealed that need to be revealed to us. Revelation is worth the search!
We are focusing on the Seven Churches (chapters 2-3) for now because those are deeply relevant to our church and the age we are living in. Of course the entire book of Revelation offers a message of hope to us, and I hope one day we will unpack the entire book. For now, this will help us think about the role God has for His Church in 2026, and what He wants Valley View to do and to be to best reach the South End of Louisville. As we enter this study, be praying about what God wants you to hear and what He is calling you to do. These messages to ancient churches are just as relevant to us today but we need to have ears to hear!