Just a castaway an island lost at sea-o 
Police, “Message in a Bottle”

I lost my book, “Renovation of the Heart” by Dallas Willard. I can’t believe it. Someone must have swiped it or my dog ate it like he often does to my kid’s homework. Didn’t you know? Australian Shepherds like the taste of paper. At least that is what my boys tell me.

I really enjoyed that book. I guess I will have to go out and buy a new one? In the meantime, I am writing this second post, on what I learned from reading this summer, entirely from memory. I wish I had the book handy, but it is now lost to me.

Don’t you hate it when things go missing? When you misplace your wallet, keys, checkbook, or dentures? God does too…he hates it when a person He loves is lost to Him as well.

Lost –  the condition of being misplaced, unusable, out of reach.

Dallas Willard thinks we have been far too simplistic when we speak of a person being lost. Traditionally, being lost in the Christian sense has been understood to be describing a person who is headed for hell. The focus here is solely on the person’s hopeless eternal future. While that is true, and desperately tragic, Willard would further argue that the biblical idea of lostness incorporates a much wider and more “robust” understanding of the human condition. (Don’t you love that word robust? Reminds me of drinking a hot cup of Colombian coffee.) In fact, to only define a person’s life with the future in mind belittles their image-bearing capacities in the present.

We are made for more than escaping flames. God has designed us with so much purpose for today, in this present moment; we are meant to enjoy and glorify him “now” with our life. Biblical Christianity even teaches eternal life begins the moment a person accepts the gospel. We are to live “in the grace in which we stand” now. Not wait for it until after we die.

Lost in the fullest sense is when you are cut off from his life. When you are dwelling outside of his grace. Sin separates us from him; it is the human state of being misplaced, unusable and out of reach from him. The biblical term for lostness is alienation.

Did you know there are a lot of people in the church that are saved but are still lost?

You may think you are positionally o.k. with God because you once went forward at an altar call, checked a box in a bulletin saying you were a Christian, went to VBS and said you accepted Jesus when you were 7 – – but if you are not living a fruitful life for Jesus now there is a good chance you are still lost. I have even met some Christians who say they want to win the lost, but they themselves are not enjoying or glorifying God in the present at all – – they are lost believing they are found.

Lostness is like my book – – it is not usable because it is out of my reach. The purpose for which it has been made is not being utilized. A book is meant to be read. But when it is lost, it cannot fulfill it’s purpose because it will never be enjoyed by the reader. To simply say the book needs to be found so I can put it back up on the shelf so it will forever look good is a nice thing – – but if it is never opened or read it is still useless. It might as well be misplaced.

To simply say a Christian is a person who is saved from hell, who is now sitting in the church and is guaranteed a life in heaven is nice – – but that isn’t the purpose of being granted salvation.

We are meant to be found so we can finally be used!

In 1 Corinthians 9:27 the Apostle Paul expresses this view by saying, “I discipline my body and keep it under control lest after my preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” Disqualified? From what? Is he worried that he might lose his salvation? Most commentators would say Paul is worried God will no longer use him to bring glory to his Son. He wants, as Galatians 1:16, to “reveal the Son in his life” and then “preach him among the Gentiles.” In other words, Paul wants to be useful to God.

I’ve been glued to the Olympics. I love the spectacle and seeing athletic excellence on a world stage. I especially enjoyed watching the Rugby Sevens. I would have loved to be on the American team. Wearing a jersey sporting the American flag would be amazing – – but playing, running, tackling, and being watched by the world would be the real joy of the Olympics. Just making the team would be great – – but the joy comes in the competing.

If you are a Christian, you have made the team. That is amazing, wonderful, and beyond belief! But don’t be content simply with wearing a jersey. Join in the action of bringing glory to your God! That is where the joy comes in. Just think, you are being watched by the angels and Jesus himself.

Are you lost, or found? Are you being used, or has God misplaced you? Are you enjoying him or alienated, far away, wondering where he is? Maybe it is you who has run away from him?