Written by Mark Driskill:
Monday January 24, 2011
Read John 8:31-33

Two families went on a pleasure cruise. At least that was the intention. Just like the old television series, Gilligan’s Isle, their ship was caught in a storm and run aground on a deserted island. Fortunately no one was injured and there were plenty of resources to sustain the two families. After weeks of trying to find a way off the island the two families concluded they may as well make the best of what appeared to be their new home. So they gave up trying to escape and built homes planning to spend the rest of their lives there. Years passed. Amazingly the families were able to create quite a nice life for themselves in their new paradise. As the children of the two families grew up they intermarried and began to have children. Decades later a third and then a fourth generation were growing up and having children on the island.

One day a child was on the shore playing when a rescue ship arrived at the island. A raft came to the shore as a helicopter circled the island. The child ran to get his parents who came out to meet the raft. The rescuers said to the parents, “We’ve come to take you home.” To which the people replied, “Home? Our home is just past those pineapple trees over there. Are you here to visit?” The rescuers had great difficulty convincing the people they needed rescue because the inhabitants had no idea they were lost. They were so used to life as it was that idea of being rescued seemed absurd.

This is how it is with people today. We have generations who have grown up in a day when immorality, addictions, and violence are such a normal experience that most of us have no idea that life should be any better. We have no idea we are lost. There was a day when the notion of a couple living together and having babies outside of marriage was seen as sin. But now it’s nothing to hear of a guy and a girl moving in together and having babies. It was once considered a scandal when a man left his wife for another woman. Now it’s all too common. This is why when you preach the gospel and tell people about the amazing grace of God that can forgive them of sin so many stare blankly saying, “Why would I need to be saved?” Grace isn’t so amazing when you don’t think you need it.

The only thing worse than being lost is being lost and not knowing it. We have raised a generation of young people that have an ever decreasing awareness of sin and righteousness. Tell many that Jesus died for their sins and they will snicker, “what sins?” One day Jesus told a crowd of Jews, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” to which they replied, “We have never been slaves to anyone.” Had they forgotten Egypt? Had seventy years in Babylon escaped their memory as well? and how about the Roman soldiers that were occupying them even as they spoke? They were so used to slavery they didn’t even recognize it anymore.

I hope you won’t go through life like that. I hope you won’t let your children grow up thinking the glut of immorality that is being spoon fed into their souls is normal. I hope you won’t build a life on an island of sinking sand and face eternity without ever knowing that you are lost without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I hope that you will seriously look at your life and see where it is headed. I hope you will open your Bible and see what God has to say about the path you have chosen. I hope God will open all of our eyes to see clearly how lost we really are. For it is only when that discovery is made that you can ever be found..

Mark Driskill and his wife Mary are homeschooling community ministers in Breathitt County Kentucky.  They have four children. They co pastor Emmanuel fellowship Church, serve as Camp Pastors at Bethel Mennonite Camp, and Mark Teaches at Oakdale Christian Academy.

Mark is web minister for Begotten by theWord , a ministry of Helping Hands Christian Resources.

Once a month he preaches on the local radio station through the “Lion of Judah” program. Mark also preaches in youth rallies and revivals upon request at no charge. Their vision is to see true spiritual awakening come to the mountains of Eastern Kentucky and to the nation.

Contact information:
Email: driskill@hilbillymail.com
Facebook: Mark Driskill
Address: PO Box 1159 Jackson KY.