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