GOD THE FINDER

One summer night I remember the members of the youth group at Door Village UMC in LaPorte County playing "hide and seek" in the dark outside the large, white, three-story parsonage. I could hear the excitement in their voices as they would find the ones who were hiding!

Shauna K. Hannan from Lutheran Theological Seminary in Columbia (SC) talks about the popularity of geocaching. Adults go on high-tech treasure hunts using a GPS to find a geocache. Even as adults we like to play hide-and-seek.

The oldest of five children, she was often told that she was responsible for keeping an eye on her siblings. Watching out to see that none of them got lost became a part of her DNA. Sometimes in the grocery store Shauna's Mom would turn to her and ask, "Where's Brent?" and she would begin looking up and down aisles for her younger brother.

In Luke 15 Jesus tells a series of stories that show us how God goes looking for the lost child. Imagine a shepherd who discovers one sheep of the ninety-nine has gone missing and how he parties when that one sheep is found. Imagine a woman who loses a coin and searches until she finds it. Imagine being a parent whose child runs off, wastes their inheritance, makes one bad decision after another, and comes home.

In the Gospels, in the person of Jesus, we find we have a God who is a Finder, and a God who cares about the ones who are lost.

The crazy thing is that sometimes when you are lost, you don't even know it. Like Brent you are playing with stuff in some aisle and you don't even recognize you're lost until someone comes looking for you. You've got life upside-down and backwards, you think everything is cool and then God comes up and taps you on the shoulder. You look up and you realize you are far from where you should be...and the story you are living isn't the story God would write with your life.

How does it change your world to know God is the Finder? How does it change your world to know God comes looking for you? How does it change your world to know that instead of continuing to run from God (and yourself?), you just need to stop and turn for home?

How does it change your world, your view of the church, to know God calls us to be a "search and rescue unit" for those who are lost, disconnected, and spiritually hungry?

Does it matter to us that there are people all around us who feel lost, disconnected and hungry? Does it matter enough to us that we will listen to the stranger, that we will issue an invitation to our small group or worship gathering, that we will risk telling our story when someone says "I wonder if there is a God, but I don't know which way to turn?" Does it matter enough to us that we will turn the church inside-out to reach out to those who feel lost, disconnected and hungry?

Churches alive with God are churches that care passionately about those who haven't yet come to the party of God's saving love in Jesus. They're all about reaching out and inviting and welcoming and including. Oh, and churches alive with God are communities where people are always ready to throw a party for the lost child who has been found.

We're a community that rejoices in God the Finder!

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Please remember to prayerfully complete your estimate-of-giving/faith promise card for 2014 and turn that/mail that in this week. Our leaders will make major decisions about our ministries for the coming year, and we need to hear from you this week. Thanks to all who have responded!

Special Offerings This Weekend - please come prepared to give generous to the following special, second-mile missions opportunities: The Interfaith Winter Shelter and Typhoon Relief (Philippines).

Notes from Kids (Continued): Last week I told you about a note from a child (and his family) that said, "Thanks for pushing us." This week I received a note on Facebook from a parent whose son said, "Mom, do you know what Pastor Mark's hair looks like? Well, I want my hair like he has, but all over my head and not just the sides. Is that okay, Mom?" :)

In Christ and for Christ,

Mark Fenstermacher

  Lead Pastor