(Further reflections on “S.O.S”—Sunday 11-Dec-2022)
There was a travel documentary a while ago about a traveler who paid a guide to get lost in a city. Now we don’t need to figure out how to get lost or pay anyone to do it for us. We were already and are lost when we (1.) don’t care where we end up; (2.) forget where we want to go; (3.) don’t know why we are going there; (4.) follow a broken compass or blind guide; (5.) don’t have a road/map; (6.) ignore your context/surroundings; (7.) have no direction; (8.) are not aware of our current ‘lostness’ condition; (9.) view that majority is always right; (10.) follow the crowd, especially when in doubt; and (11.) don’t seek help. More or less, those are the ‘signs’ of someone being lost.
Wandering from the truth is a natural tendency of fallen humanity. We all once were wandering away from the truth, because either we didn’t know the truth or we did know but ignored living by it. Since Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (cf. John 14:6), anyone who does not abide or remain or stay with or live in or stick to Him will naturally wander away from the truth. And once people wander from the truth, they will walk in their own way and not God’s way. And as a result, the life they live is in a lost state. One or more or all of the above eleven signs will be evident. It might not be to those who were lost, but to people around them, those who are abiding in Christ daily through reading of His word/truth, talking to God (prayer), fellowshipping with other God-fearing and faithful Christ’s followers in the Body of Christ—the local church, and telling others what the Lord has done in and through your life.
We, as Christ’s followers in the Body of Christ, this local church, are called to bring those who are wandering from the truth back to God’s house, for we know, “Whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins (James 5:20).” This is an ’S.O.S’ calling to those who abide in Jesus who are being His faithful disciples, and have compassion for the lost and who want to reach out and win them for Christ.
We all were once lost, but now we are found by God through Jesus, who is full of grace and truth. Thank you, Lord for sending someone into our life who brought us back to the truth. Forgive us, if we are ever so wicked that we kept the truth to ourselves by not telling others about you, Jesus.
Help us, O Lord!
—
Pastor Lap
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