Oregonians love the outdoors. We have some beautiful mountains that just beg us to come and visit them. In the summer, they are filled with beautiful plants and wildlife. In the winter, they are great for skiing and snowboarding. People are always going camping and hiking.

And every year, search and rescue teams need to be called to look for people lost in the mountains. Many things can happen: people can lose the trail, or they can get hurt, or the weather can change unpredictably. Any of these things happening can make even an experienced outdoors-person need help getting home.

Life is always unpredictable. As the Bible says in the book of James, we don’t even know what will happen tomorrow. Only God knows. Often, we have no control over events, and sometimes bad things happen. Sometimes people get hurt or sick. And then they need help to get home: to find Jesus.

This is why evangelism is like search and rescue. Lost people need us to find them and bring them to Jesus. We know the way home: we have the maps and the gear. All we need is the willingness. Jesus is the only one who can save people from their sins. Our job is to help them out of the darkness. So help reach those in darkness in your world today.

This is Luis Palau.