God seeks out the hopelessly lost

I lost my wrist watch. My heart is broken. I purchased the watch way back in 1980. It is a silver, blue-faced Seiko Quartz, with a thick, fancy beveled crystal. It is easily recognizable by being so unique, like a shiny, bright blue antique car being driven down the street. It catches the eye. They just don’t make them like that anymore.

I could have misplaced it somehow and just haven’t looked in the right spot to find it yet. Or is it hopelessly lost, and on someone else’s wrist? I don’t know.

When a suicide occurs, there is the notion of such a soul being hopelessly lost. There is no heaven for them. Is this true?

In the 15th chapter of the Gospel according to Luke, Jesus is hanging out with those of ill repute: sinners and tax collectors. They seem hopelessly lost. A gathering of scribes and Pharisees were watching all of this happen and questioned Jesus even being with them.

So Jesus tells his critics three stories – of things lost and then found – about a single sheep, a single coin, and that of the Prodigal Son.

The sheep and the coin could have easily been written off. They represented only a single item among many. Why should the one who lost them invest so much time, energy and effort towards their recovery? This does not seem like the wisest thing to do.

Obviously, the sheep and coin do not repent. Their role is passive. Yet, they are still deemed to be important enough to be reclaimed through unyielding efforts.

So back to that question – a person who has taken their own life – is their soul hopelessly lost?

In Jesus, God shows that even death has been overcome. Part of Mark 10: 27 says, “for God all things are possible.” The answer is that God has the final say.

For those who state with such certainty that such a soul is lost, they may believe they know exactly how God operates. They may believe that they have a solid understanding of rules that are absolute. However, in doing so, are they any different than the scribes and Pharisees who thought Jesus was wrong?

Instead, in my view, one should invest in the narrative of hope, trust, and faith in God’s unyielding love – no matter what.

Walter is pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church and has served as parish pastor for more than 25 years.