Getting lost ∙∙
All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. – Isaiah 53:6
Luke 15:4-7
4 If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?
5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.
6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
7 Similarly, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine righteous ones who haven’t strayed away!
The Perils of Early Maritime Exploration
Since the waters of the flood receded, mariners have ventured across the vast oceans. However, navigating the seas was fraught with dangers:
- Ferocious storms that threatened to capsize ships.
- Hidden shoals and reefs that could tear apart hulls.
- Dense fog that obscured visibility.
- Doldrums, where windless waters left ships stranded.
- Lack of fresh water, leading to dehydration and death.
- Sea monsters [just kidding].
But the greatest threat was getting lost. Without a reliable way to determine their location, sailors risked drifting aimlessly and being unable to find their way. Enter the idea of latitudes and longitudes, a revolutionary concept in navigation.
Latitude: Navigating North and South
Imagine a line running between the North Pole and the South Pole. Perpendicular to this line is the equator, an imaginary horizontal line encircling the Earth. From this foundation, latitudes were developed: horizontal lines parallel to the equator create imaginary circles around the globe.
Some of these latitudes are well-known, like the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle.
By the 1700s, determining one’s latitude (North-South position) at sea had become a common practice, thanks to advancements in celestial navigation. The same couldn’t be said for longitudes.
Longitude: The East-West Challenge
While latitude was relatively easy to determine, longitude (East-West position) remained a mystery. The Longitudes are vertical lines running parallel to one another, but during the 1700s, there was no reliable way to calculate one’s longitude at sea. This conundrum became known as “the longitude problem.”
For centuries, even the brightest scientific minds, including Galileo and Sir Isaac Newton, tried to solve this problem using astronomical methods. However, all attempts failed.
A Mechanical Solution
Enter John Harrison, a clockmaker and carpenter by trade. With a stroke of genius, Harrison devised a mechanical solution to the longitude problem. He invented the marine chronometer, a clock capable of keeping accurate time at sea despite the ship’s motion and fluctuations in temperature and humidity.
By comparing the local time (determined by the sun) with the time at a fixed reference point (such as Greenwich, England), sailors could determine their longitude with remarkable precision.
Revolutionizing Navigation
Harrison’s invention transformed navigation and long-distance exploration. For the first time, mariners could reliably determine their position at sea, removing the fear of getting lost. Harrison’s marine chronometer addressed one of the most significant scientific challenges of the time. Sailors no longer had to worry about losing their way. They could find their location no matter where they were.
Lost Without Knowing It
When sailors are lost, they become aware of it. But the same can’t be said for most of humanity. According to Scripture, every person is born lost, separated from the Father, and wandering aimlessly through life. They are lost, yet sadly unaware of it. The journey to “becoming found” is a task the Father assigns to each individual before their death.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 reminds us: “God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”
The human heart yearns for something eternal, yet we remain blind to what is truly missing.
Man-Made Attempts to Be “Found”
Throughout history, humanity has struggled in vain to find a solution to the problem of spiritual disconnection. Over the centuries, countless solutions have been proposed:
- World religions offering paths to enlightenment or salvation.
- Philosophies promising meaning and purpose.
- Self-help ideologies claiming to unlock human potential.
But none of these man-made solutions have proven effective. They are like faulty compasses, leading people further astray.
The Father’s More Excellent Way
From the heavens above, the Father has provided a more excellent way. He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to seek and save the lost. Jesus is the ultimate “navigator,” guiding us back to the Father and offering eternal life to all who hear His voice and follow Him.
Jesus tells us in John 10:27-28: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
REFLECT & PRAY
Just as John Harrison’s marine chronometer solved the problem of being lost at sea, the Lord Jesus Christ serves as the solution to humanity’s spiritual lostness. While the human race seeks answers, the Father seeks us. He calls each of us to follow Him and find our way home. Are you listening to His voice?
Father, thank You for designing and creating a way to find lost human sheep. Thank You that when the Lord Jesus Christ spoke, I heard His voice. I came, and He gave me eternal life. Help me to follow Him faithfully and guide others to the truth.
INSIGHT
Jesus Came to Rescue the Lost
The Lord Jesus Christ came to rescue humanity, lost in its separation from the Father. As Bock explains, “Jesus becomes the instrument through whom God works. Jesus’ mission is to initiate relationships with those who do not know God and call to them to come to know Him.”
This mission is clearly stated in Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
What Does It Mean to Be Lost?
Being lost can be simply defined as being separated from the Father. While people have eternity planted in their hearts, as described in Ecclesiastes 3:11, they often experience a deep longing, emptiness, or desire for something more. However, they frequently do not identify themselves as spiritually “lost.”
They might wonder, “Is that all there is?” Yet, without asking the right questions, they struggle to find the right answers. The root problem, sin, remains unrecognized, causing them to wander aimlessly.
Jesus Calls to the Lost
Jesus addressed this condition in Luke 5:31-32: “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”
Just as a sick person must first acknowledge their illness to seek healing, those who are lost must recognize their separation from God to seek salvation.
The Father’s Initiative: Sending the Savior
Sailors lost at sea understood their dire situation; they knew they were doomed. In contrast, those lost in the sea of humanity often remain unaware of their spiritual plight. Tragically, they are oblivious.
Recognizing this, the Father took the initiative and sent the Lord Jesus Christ to offer salvation and eternal life.
Jesus makes a fantastic offer: abundant, eternal life, as stated in John 10:10, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Hearing His Voice
When Jesus’ words are proclaimed, they awaken His sheep. For those who belong to Him, His voice clarifies their sense of need. They transition from:
- Oblivious wandering to conscious seeking.
- Lost slumber to lost awakeness.
The numbness of stupefying, spiritual slumber fades away, and they become seekers. When they hear His voice, they respond and come to Him.
Lord Jesus Christ promises in John 10:27, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
The Separation Is Breached
Through Jesus Christ, the separation from the Father is bridged. Those who come to Him receive eternal life, a gift that cannot be taken away.
John 10:28-29: “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.”
Every child of the King possesses eternal life:
- Eternal life is a present possession, not just a future promise.
- It lasts forever and cannot be taken away.
- They are safe and secure in the Father’s hands, with no room for despair or fear.
His Sheep are No Longer Lost but Found
The Good Shepherd becomes the Guardian of Our Souls. The children of the King are no longer lost; they are now found. They have turned to their Shepherd, who lovingly guides and guards them.
1 Peter 2:25, “Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.”
Do you Continue to Wonder Aimlessly?
Many people are still wandering in spiritual lostness, but the voice of the Shepherd calls to them. Can you hear His voice? All you need to do is come to Him to be found forever. Every child of the King can live with the confidence and security of His eternal promise.
The mission of the Lord Jesus Christ is clear: to seek and save the lost. Through His voice, the lost are awakened, and through His sacrifice, the separation from the Father is bridged. Every child of the King is safe, secure, and eternally found in the hands of the Father. Let us embrace this truth and share it with a world that continues to wander in lostness.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯10-25-3
© Dr. H 2025
Dr H Reflections 