| When we think in terms of what it means for man to | | | | created for that destiny either. If we do not perceive |
| be lost, we are immediately confronted with the fact | | | | others as children of God, then we need not be |
| that it is as sad a description as could ever be given to | | | | concerned about them or what happens to them. In |
| human beings. A sick person may get well; a crippled | | | | fact, if the opportunity presents itself, we may even try |
| person may adjust to his infirmity; an indebted person | | | | to use and manipulate others for our own selfish |
| may pay off his debt; an illiterate person may educate | | | | purposes. We become "things" or "toys" to each other |
| himself. But something lost has severed all connections. | | | | and are therefore separated from each other as |
| It is out of touch, out of reach, out of reality, gone. Lost | | | | human beings. We are all trying to play the part of |
| implies interest and desire but no ability to locate. When | | | | God against each other and rule over others. The |
| something is lost it is disconnected from its owner. And, | | | | result is disaster. Thus, we are lost and cannot find our |
| when someone is lost, there is a twofold negative | | | | way back home.We are "lost" because we cannot |
| affect because not only is the person who suffered | | | | find our own self-realization and expression apart from |
| the loss miserable, but also the lost person. Both are | | | | God. Think about this: we are never fully satisfied for |
| dissatisfied, frustrated and incomplete. Yet, Scripture | | | | very long. Happiness only last a moment and security |
| repeatedly describes man as being lost.Man is | | | | is always threatened. Joy is ephemeral and we are |
| described as lost because we are disconnected from | | | | always seeking, longing, dreaming, wishing, and hoping |
| God's purpose for our lives. We are out of touch with | | | | for that which only create greater yearnings. We are |
| our Creator, out of tune with divine order, disconnected | | | | forever knocking on doors that never open, walking on |
| from our Source.Each human life has a divine purpose. | | | | thin ice, grasping for straws, barking up wrong trees, |
| It is inherent in our very essence. When God blew into | | | | living on past pains and remembrances. We are so |
| us the "breath of life," purpose was intermingled in with | | | | entangled and enmeshed in sin and wrongdoing that |
| all the other elements that formed our humanity. Think | | | | we cannot set the situation right by ourselves. We are |
| about it. Man was to have rule over the earth, but | | | | caught up in a never-ending treadmill struggle and we |
| instead we have neglected the earth and we cannot | | | | are doomed to remain in it. There are no ifs, ands, or |
| even rule ourselves. Man was created for fellowship | | | | buts about it, we are lost and there is no escape? |
| with each other and our creator God, but we are | | | | unless somehow, someone comes to help us.Well, |
| hostile towards each other and have turned our backs | | | | man is separated from God because of God's nature |
| on our God. We are indeed lost.The reason for our | | | | and holiness. God is separated from man because of |
| "lost-ness" is clear in scripture. We are created to live | | | | man?s sin and rebellion. So you see, this creates an |
| as God's children. But somewhere along the line, we | | | | impregnable impasse. Someone is needed as a |
| decided that we preferred being the parent and not | | | | go-between, so to speak; a mediator, if you will.Who |
| the child. One can observe this truth in almost every | | | | could represent man to God when man does not |
| parent-child relationship. The child begins to resent | | | | even know God? Who could represent God to man |
| being the child. He/she desires the power or authority | | | | when man feels totally independent of God? In other |
| to do as she/he wants and will "act out" in a plethora | | | | words, how could the lost be found?In His perfect |
| of abberant ways to try to get what he/she wants. | | | | wisdom, God solves the dilemma for us. God Himself |
| They lack the mental ability to understand the larger | | | | became the very thing He created: MAN. Instead of |
| picture. Such is man. We want to play God. This is sin. | | | | expecting man to become like Him, He became man. |
| All of our sinful behaviors is only symptomatic of our | | | | God became man, not to excuse us, but to accept the |
| purposeful rebellion against submitting to the will of our | | | | penalties for our rebellion Himself. And in so doing, the |
| parent; God.Now, let's translate this idea into our own | | | | barrier that separated us from God was destroyed |
| experience and see if this is not indeed, exactly the | | | | and man is joined to God.It is this human experience of |
| way we are. Ask yourself, how many times you get | | | | God we call Jesus. Whatever Jesus was or did in His |
| an "attitude" or a defiant change in behavior when | | | | life, in His teachings, in His cross and passion, in His |
| someone does not do what you want them to or | | | | death and resurrection and ascension and exaltation, it |
| behave as you think they should? This is one of the | | | | was really God that did it in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians |
| reasons so many marriages dissolve these days. Each | | | | 5:18f).While we were lost, groping helpless in the dark, |
| partner wants things their way and is not willing to | | | | God comes to meet us where we are and as we are. |
| make provisions for the other. We see it in our homes, | | | | He comes proclaiming that no man is beyond help, no |
| on our jobs, in our schools, communities and | | | | situation is beyond repair. He comes to hopeless man |
| government. Everywhere people are clamoring to be | | | | and makes us believe that as misbehaving and |
| God. Even when we get sanctimonious and claim to | | | | sin-prone as we are, there is a balm in Gilead to heal |
| be trying to do God's will, we have this uncanny | | | | the sin-sick soul.As the woman in Scripture sought for |
| proclivity to make God's will coincide with what we | | | | a lost coin, the father sought for a lost son, the |
| wanted to do all along. Thus, we are still at the center | | | | shepherd sought for a lost sheep, so God searches |
| of our own lives. It is interesting that this is something | | | | for every man. We don't have to look for God |
| peculiar only to human beings. A tree cannot sin; | | | | because we learn in His word that before we were |
| neither does a lion or a rabbit or a rhinoceros. But man | | | | even aware of our need, God sought us. The lost has |
| does because God equipped us with capabilities that | | | | been found.Saundra L. Washington, an ordained |
| nature and animals do not have; and we fight against | | | | clergywoman and social worker, has practiced |
| using them as we should. In so doing, we alienate | | | | concurrently in the fields of social work and ministry for |
| ourselves from God and each other.If we refuse to | | | | almost three decades. She is the Founder of AMEN |
| accept the fact that God created us for the high | | | | Ministries, and the author of two coffee table books: |
| destiny of fellowship with Him, then it logically follows | | | | Room Beneath the Snow, Poems that Preach and |
| that we will not be inclined to believe others were | | | | Negative Disturbances, Homilies that Teach. |