LOST.......Or Truly Lost?

4. 8. 15. 16. 23. 42.
     The famous numbers.  If you add them together, they equal 108, another iconic number in the tv show that made these numbers famous: LOST.  LOST was one of my favorite tv shows when it aired a few years back.  The storyline goes like this: Oceanic Flight 815 crashes onto a deserted island, and the survivors have to learn to function in this new environment while realizing they are not truly alone on the island.  Over the six seasons of the show, the survivors discover many secrets of this mysterious island.  However, one of the frustrating things about the show was that whenever it answered one question, it presented more questions to be answered.  I was a huge fan of LOST, and, like any fan, became engrossed in the show.  I watched every single episode when it aired, and since pretty much every episode ended with a cliffhanger, could not wait until the next week.  Every episode included parts of one of the survivor's backstory, so I pretty much knew everything about every character.  I knew so much about this show that I once spent two hours explaining the questions and mysterious to my neighbor.  I, like any fan, could not wait to see how it all ended in season six.  All this to say, I was a bit obsessed with LOST.
     Well, when it all finally ended, I was extremely disappointed to realize that *SPOILER ALERT* everything that happened was because of a hole in the ground with a huge cork to cover it up, and that everything that had happened in the show was not really real; it was a sort of weird purgatory for the characters.  I had spent six years of my life with all this knowledge about the show only to be ultimately disappointed in the end.
     The other day I saw something on Facebook and was reminded of LOST.  It got me thinking (which is usually not a good thing!) that my experience with LOST is like may people's experience in this world.  See, there are a ton of people out there who honestly think that they are Christians, but actually don't know Christ at all.  They live their whole lives with extensive knowledge about Christ, but don't truly KNOW Him.  And they are, as I was with LOST, eternally disappointed when the end comes.  Matthew 7:21 says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven."  If we logically study this verse, we can easily extrapolate that there ARE people who do this every day.  People who are in the church, people who serve in the church even, who, if they have not truly believed and repented, but just said a prayer once, WILL go to Hell.  There is no question about this.  This is something that plagues the U.S.  All you have to do is look at your Twitter feed and you can see a guy/girl praising God for helping them with something when they needed Him, but the next moment living as if He never existed.  GOD IS NOT YOUR MEDICINE CABINET!!  This should break us to know that not only those who continually practice evil are going to Hell, but maybe even someone sitting down the row from us on Sunday morning.
     First, we should look at this as a reason to look at our own lives.  2 Corinthians 13:5 says, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.  Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test?" Before we cast judgment on other, we must take a step back and take a good, LONG look at our own lives.  We must be producing fruit and be truly following after Christ.  We must examine our lives to make sure we are truly disciples of Christ.  Second, like I said before, this must break us to tell others about Him.  The Matthew verse above obviously means that every day, we come into contact with those who do not believe in our God.  This gives us a reason to make our lives about the Gospel.  1 Peter 3:15 talks about always being ready to share the Gospel.  Our lives are not about us, but to make much of Him, to glorify Him.  We cannot allow people to go on with their lives, believing they are saved, and them ultimately be disappointed.  This should be a battle cry for our lives to stand up and be courageous about out faith!
     Today, I look back at LOST as a really good show with a really bad ending, because it does not have any eternal significance.  However, out lives DO have eternal significance. This is why this is so important.  Let us live our lives significantly, and, as Matt 7:21 states, TRULY do the will of our Heavenly Father.

-Sam
Soli Deo Gloria

Freshman Year (Insert T-Swift Lyrics)

Well, I'm home for the summer. It's crazy to look back and see how the Lord has moved and provided in my life over this past year at MC. I've faced trials and hardships, but also have seen God move in ways I never expected.  HE IS GOOD.

Here is a photo collection of my year...

Started right away making good friends (Rush Skits)

Camped out to rush Shawreth

Rushed Shawreth (one of the greatest things I've ever done)

Fall Preview Day

Became part of the "McLovin"family

Shawreth Follies (500 Days of Summer)

Shawreth Sweethearts, only the sweetest ladies on campus dance for Follies (look at that pretty cool dude in the back)

Shawreth Informal with Avni Patel

I became a Shawreth and found out who my big was, the incredible Lee McCarty!

Dave Barnes came for Choctaw Fest!

Took a spontaneous trip to Starkville

Swannanoa Informal with Mary Beth Hammack

Got to worship with Hillsong Live at Pinelake

ST Grab-a-Date with Alanna Tedder....Christmastime

McLovin Family Christmas

Carols By Candelight at First Baptist Jackson

Some pretty cool guys came to Memphis over Christmas Break

I got to opportunity to be at Passion 2012-What an incredible experience

Shawreth family trip to Meridian to shoot

Drove to Hattiesburg for the Memphis-SouthernMiss game

Kristian Stanfill came for Mosaic Week

DNOW back home

Shawreth Grab-a-Date with Maegan Easley...PuttPutt

Pretty much all Alanna, Hannah, and I learned in Biology this semester

Zombie Prom with Morgan Gaughf

Shawreth got second place for Derby Week!

Shawreth Formal with Alanna Tedder

We got to choose our baby sweetheart, Anne Marie Parke!

KT Mystery Date....Masquerade

ST Grab-a-Date.....Bowling

ST/KT Crush Party...Rumble in the Jungle!

Micheal Walley spent the semester in London and we welcomed him back!

ST Formal with Alex Windle in NOLA!

My Shawreth Family-We're pretty cool.

Needless to say, I've had an incredible freshman year at MC.  I'm looking forward to a great summer and what the Lord has planned for me.  However, I will be missing the one thing that makes MC the great place that it is, the people. I'll miss my friends. May God teach me so much over this summer like he already has thus far. Soli Deo Gloria.

Some pretty awesome friends...

Just for you....

This is for Amy Drake.
My Pleasure.