Not lost , but missed
I have been thinking about the word "lost". I don`t like that word, it is too definite, too final for me. When Jesus, in Luke 15, was talking about the gentiles, the sinful people, he told tree parables. The first was about the lost sheep. He said that there was a man who had 100 sheep and than he lost one and he went to search for the one until he found it. The second parable is about the lost coin. A woman had 10 silver coins and loses one. In trying to find the one she turn her house "upside down". And then the third parable is about the prodigal son. Reading these parables there is something I have been thinking of. Before they got lost they were owned. The sheep was a part of the flock before it got lost. The coin was a part of the ten, and the lost son was living with his father and the brother before he went his own way. In Norwegian the word lost is negative. So what I will do is to think about those who is not yet saved as missing people, people who are wanted by God. They belong to him. He owns the harvest. The harvest belong to him. So, the only thing we shall do is to find those who are missed and bring them back. Easy, isn`t it?
Thanks, lost=easy..These words courage me endless much! Good job Arne!
Posted by: Geir Tore T. Hanssen | April 23, 2006 at 12:29
Excellent insight. That is a wonderful way to think about people.
Posted by: torvald | April 25, 2006 at 09:51
This was good stuff Arne. The greatest truths are often the most simple.
Good to hear you this Easter, only one thing to say "stå på" in your new anointing.
These are exciting times for Bergen!
Posted by: Anna Nilsen | April 25, 2006 at 10:22
I understand perfectly what you mean! This is a new perspective in the parables, the ownership before they were lost, it is important. Realy.
Hehe, imagin your selvf how manny "Wanted - posters" God must have printed, or how manny "missed kids messages" there are on the milk bottle at the table of The Lord?
Missing people....and then the name....Oh sadness!
Posted by: bernt | April 25, 2006 at 14:59
But of course there is a hope for everyone! Jesus saves!
What a beautifull day it is coing to be, when the missing people returning home!
Posted by: bernt | April 25, 2006 at 15:02
Arne, nice line of thought and choice of words. The good news in the parables is that God is longing and seeking to restore all those who are unsaved to Himself.
Posted by: Akinola Akinyede | April 25, 2006 at 20:07
Interresting thinking Arne about the word "lost". Reading your post I was thinking about the TV program LOST. They are waiting for som rescue. And if you put in your thinking of the word "lost" we can then say that they re not lost on that island but missed. They re waiting for us to find them and bring them back from where they belong: to GOD!
Posted by: kristina | April 25, 2006 at 23:49
God owns the harvest - AMEN, We called to bring in that harvest in plentiful measure-great post Arne
Posted by: Gavin White | May 10, 2006 at 17:48