Back in the early 80’s my wife and I set out on a journey to a conference that was being held in a church nearly 300 miles from us. The conference was to take place in the western part of the state of Iowa near the Nebraska border. As we drove through one city I became disoriented on the interstate system and continued to drive thinking I was going in the right direction. However, when I saw the sign “Welcome to Missouri” I knew I was lost and had taken a wrong turn. Getting lost was a common occurrence many people had before the advent of GPS technology. Anyone who has a cell phone at their disposal will rarely feel lost.
No one wants to be lost, however, experiencing that “lost feeling” is important in the spiritual realm. When we are lost we sense a great need to be back on the right track. We are stressed and at times become desperate. We want so much to find the right way. The Bible declares all of us to be lost. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). The scriptures use the term “lost” to describe all of those who have not yet experienced the new birth, they have never received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. They are wandering in the darkness of sin. Jesus told 3 parables about being lost. He spoke about the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the lost son. Each of those stories illustrate God’s desire that we be found. Jesus announces to all the world in Matt. 18:11: “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost”.
Are you feeling lost? If so you are on the way to some good news. Feeling lost is a valuable experience. We must realize that our own righteousness, our own intelligence, and our own works cannot help us find our way. Only Jesus can save us, and find us. After all, He is the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6).