The Nonexistence Of No Man’s Land

It can be categorized under the unexplainable.
One of those things that defies explanation.
The thing that makes an otherwise organized person wave the white flag.
It is the zone in your house that is entered but never left.

No man’s land.

The place where the single lost sock goes that has simply vanished in the dryer.
The hideout for the Tupperware lid that has disappeared.
The location of the car keys that were just in your pocket an hour ago.
The spot where eyeglasses remain because you are too myopic to find them.

No man’s land: the place where lost things go.
A place that is not in any travel brochure.
A retreat from the dailiness of an orderly life.
A secret place that never reveals its location.

No man’s land reminds me of a book my children loved.
A book that is understood on different levels depending on maturity.
The book that is simply called, Nobody, is written by Patience Brewster.
It is a delightful story, one to which we all can relate.

Sarah, a little kindergartner comes home from school a bit grumpy after a hard day.
Her mother asks, Sarah, who are you frowning at?
Nobody, the little girl answers.
The adventure begins; from this point on, Nobody is with the Sarah all the time.

Sarah has Nobody to talk to.
Nobody helps Sarah clean up her room.
Sarah sings songs to Nobody and read stories to Nobody.
To Sarah, Nobody is real; she even drew a picture of her friend, Nobody.

When the day of Sarah’s birthday party came, there was one remaining gift to open.
The tag said that the gift was from Nobody.
When Sarah opened the present, there was Nobody inside.
Sarah’s mother made a Nobody doll from Sarah’s own imaginative drawings.

Nobody was now Somebody.

We have no man’s land places in our lives.
We have Nobody to blame and Nobody to share things with from time to time.
We have things that remain unexplainably lost.
We have things that simply seem to vanish.

Sometimes it is an object that you know must be somewhere.
Sometimes it is a friend that simply vanishes from your life despite your best efforts.
Sometimes it is a thought that was in your mind a minute ago.
Sometimes it is a present you hid so well it cannot be found.

No man’s land.
God has presumed no man’s land stories in His Word.
God often talks about lost things.
Except with God, they do not remain lost forever.

Then Jesus told them this parable: Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them? Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? (Luke 15:3,4)

Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? (Luke 15: 8)

In each case somethings valuable was lost.
The one searching for the lost thing dropped everything until it was found.
Once it was found there was rejoicing.
Once it was found there was celebration.

And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.”
(Luke 15:5,6)

And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin. (Luke 15:9)

There is rejoicing when the lost is found.
Lost people are never considered a Nobody to God.
Lost people are always considered a Somebody to God.
Lost people are those whom Jesus came to save.

A lost person is not in no man’s land.
A lost person can come into the Kingdom when found by Jesus.
A lost person, alone in the wilderness of this world, must stand still and listen.
The lost person hears the call of Jesus on their heart saying, I found you.

Lost people do not simply disappear.
Lost people are seen and known by the God who seeks them.
Lost people are never once out of the Father’s vision.
Lost people are the Somebody that Jesus is seeking to find.

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
(Matthew 10:39)

Losing our life for God’s sake is the only way to truly find our Life.
We are never in no man’s land when we are seen and known by God.
We stand in our lostness and wait to be found.
There is much rejoicing.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

T’was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
‘Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’ve first begun.
(Amazing Grace by John Newton)

In God’s Kingdom, there is no such thing as no man’s land.
You are Somebody that matters greatly to the Lord Jesus.
So much so, that He died on the cross to save you.
What was lost has now been found, when you come to Jesus in faith and believe.