A very popular biblical theme is the one of lost and found. This theme is used in Scripture to illustrate the position of humanity before a holy God. Sinners are described as "lost" and the Gospel is the story of God "finding" the lost.
Our Lord told the stories of the lost coin and the lost sheep (Luke 15:4-9). Jesus referred to His mission as coming to seek and save the lost (Matthew 18:11).
Starting in 1976 there was a worldwide evangelistic mission by Christians entitled, "I found it!" Campus Crusade got the project going and it quickly spread throughout the world.
What is interesting about the campaign started so long ago is that the real biblical thrust of conversion is that God is the One with the initiative. God is portrayed in Scripture as seeking the lost—not the lost seeking God. In fact, a little known passage in Romans 3:10-12 (NIV) reads: "As it is written: 'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
When you see someone seeking the Lord—and we all do—you may be certain that the Lord has already begun a good work in that individual.
So, as we consider this term lost in its biblical context, it is not a good state to be in. We ought to seek to be "found" in order to avoid the consequences of this form of being "lost".
However, there is a wonderful way in which to be lost. The great hymn writer, Charles Wesley (1707-1788), spoke of this form of being lost and its glory when he closed his hymn Love Divine, All Loves Excelling with the lines:
Changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before Thee, lost in wonder, love and praise.
So we see that there is a tragic way that we may be lost and, on the other hand, there is an eternally glorious way in which to be lost—lost in the worship, praise, and service of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
It is through the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that we may be turned from being lost forever from the presence and blessing of the Lord. Jesus is the One Who draws His people into the glorious "lostness" of the restored heavens and earth (Romans 5).
"No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever." Revelation 22:3-5 (NIV)
