February 12
Minerva
How would you describe a “lost” person? Before you answer that, don’t use any religious, biblical or church terms.
Now how would you describe a “lost” person?
Well if you are anything like me you probably thought about driving and trying to follow someone else’s bad directions and before you know it, you are in unexplored territory. I can think a few things I hate more than bad directions and being lost. I am greatly gifted in getting lost and, so as not to betray the Fraternity of Male Drivers worldwide, I don’t ask for directions. (Unless my wife is with me then it’s a requirement)
This is why I love the GPS in my phone! It gives me turn by turn directions by just talking to me. I don’t have to read it, look down or even hold it. Minerva, that’s what I named the voice, just tells me where to go and I go. The next thing I know I am at my destination and if it is undiscovered territory, I just follow Minerva’s voice home.
Okay, back to the question.
I like this definition of lost:
No longer to be found; having gone astray or missed the way; bewildered as to place, without direction.
Ok, I just merged a bunch of dictionary definitions but it really drives the point home as to what being lost is like while staying clear of all religious and chuchy terms.
We usually describe the lost as people who have never heard the message of Jesus. We focus our attention on them, as we should, but we tend to forget about another class of lost that I refer to as the “Lost Believers”.
Like it or not, there are people out there who have walked away, or have been driven away, from the church. They are without direction, perhaps even bewildered as to place or without direction. If only they had a voice, a Minerva to lead them back.
Wait…don’t they have a Minerva type GPS that can lead them back? If not they should.
In John chapter 10 Jesus talks a lot about sheep and The Good Shepherd.
1″I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3The watchman opens the gate for him and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
Now look at vs. 14-16:
14″I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”
They all may be lost but there is a voice calling them back, the Shepherd is calling them…by name!
I love verse 16, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also.”
He says he “must” bring. He doesn’t say He will try to bring or do his best. He says I MUST BRING.
He is the destination and he is calling but some have lost their way and need to be brought back.
So what is our role?
You are to be their Minerva.
If the Spirit of God resides in you then you are to be a voice of direction. Literally the voice of the Voice! We are the voice in the GPS that is leading them back home to the Shepherd.
We are to recognize them as lost sheep that have wandered off and are scared, alone, and maybe even angry. They will most definitely be dirty with all sorts of issues. That isn’t our concern. We are just to give “turn by turn” directions back to the Shepherd.
Then He takes over and lifts them up on his shoulders and carries them the rest of the way. He will place them back into the “sheep pen” and they will lay down in green pastures.
So… who are you navigating for?
~R-Dog
Interesting way to look at it. I like your definition & agree that we are to be the GPS that shows people the way back to God.
hi I have a friend in oregon that has been hurt very badly by a church the pastor and the people she has left it, now her and her husband have not gone to any church in a few years I believe she was a very strong christian, now she tells me I do it at home from tv or I read on my own and now she is telling me that God has not lead her to go back to church she is out of fellowship lives in a small town where there is not a lot of churches to pick from but is trying to sell there house and move to a bigger city, she has not tithed for a long time and is having nothing but bad stuff happening with there house not selling to her husbands health and finances her husbands job etc… how do I talk to her what do I say? or do I pray and let God do it? Is she even lost? please get back to me on this we have known each other for 44 years thanks
Hi Rudy, You are so true! The one problem I see is that some do not “LISTEN” for the voice of the Lord. They have allowed their ears to become deaf to Him. I know when my husband quit the ministry we were shunned! That pain was just too deep for Him… one thing led to another until He didn’t want to hear God’s voice or even accept His love. I do believe we should go and seek those who have been deeply wounded and turned their backs on God’s call on their life. One human being is as valuable as another. Thank you for your love and understanding for God’s humans!
Dawn,
She is lost as in “she has lost her way” but totally and completely REDEMABLE! If she was in such a dysfunctional place God probably isn’t leading her back… at least not to that church. We need to remember that being a part of the body does not mean that we HAVE to go a dysfunctional church led by a person that is abusive just for the sake of going to church. Would we advise her to stay in an abusive and hurtful relationship just for the sake of being married?
You just need to guide her and love on her. There is no need to remind her of what she already knows. Chances are she knows exactly what is up. Pray that God will give you His agenda for your friend and that his spirit leads you to say what she need to hear and be his voice.
R-Dog
Sue,
I am familiar with the story not just in your husband but in so many others. Unfortunately the church can be a cruel place not because of God but because of people with their own ideas and agenda.
I went through the exact same thing as your husband and I know what it is like to be so disillusions and broken that the very voice of God is blocked by the anger and pain. I don’t know why it is that people don’t seem to understand that people doing God’s work have feeling too and are not super-human.
Fact is we are all human suffering from the human condition and the fall of man.
I think we should all teach, preach, and love people more from a human perspective and not so much from such a grandiose spiritual perspective. Can we really know the mind of God so clear that we can pronounce judgment, and damnation of a fellow human being?
I wish I knew your husband when he went though his pain. I pray that NN4O will find people like him so they don’t have to go through stuff like this alone.
Keep replying!
R-Dog.
thanks rudy that helps alot sure love what your doing and God!
thanks rudy that helps alot sure love what your doing and God!
this is such a good message rudy! really challenges us to love on the people that need it and guide them back to truth and to the Jesus that won’t burn them or push them away and who never changes. way to address the issue that people haven’t been willing to touch on in a long time