Lost & Found
While I was out of town it hit me that I had not seen my new cross necklace in a while. When I finally got home I began looking for it. I got it early in the summer when Mom, my cousin and I were in Sanibel Island. I wrote a blog about a friend I met, the year before, who worked at the local jewelry store. Mom, Mike and I had met her and we made a connection and have kept in touch. Her husband was sick and began reading my blog before he passed. This year we were able to go back. I bought a beautiful 18 kt gold cross with a stone in it on a black cord. It was a piece made by an artist and was very unusual. It held special memories because of where we were, the memories made there and my friend who I purchased it from. Looking for this sentimental piece called for a thorough and passionate search. Being desperate to find it, I even got up in the middle of the night to go look at one more place. As of this writing I have not found it. I have asked God to bring to mind where I lost it. And if you would like to send up a prayer I appreciate it and we’re still looking for Mom/Honey’s keys! I always pray about stuff like that because God says to pray about everything. Philippians 4: 6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” And it did cause some anxiety about not being able to find it. I told God I know it is just a thing and I was feeling a little guilty about how upset I was about it. Then I heard the sermon the next Sunday.
In a recent sermon Pastor Tim read Luke 15: 8, “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?” It reminded me of my week. I leaned over to say, “necklace” to Mom, as she said, “keys.” I swept my house for that necklace and continue to do so. I like the next verse, “And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.” Because of this necklace's value, to me, when it is found, there will be rejoicing and I know some friends who will rejoice with me!
How much more valuable is a person than my necklace? Think of all the lost people - some we know and some we don’t. We ALL know people who are lost and need to hear the Good News! Think of who made the most influence in your faith life. You could be that someone to someone else! We should ask God everyday to use us as a person to help lost people find their way to God. We should be a person of joy and encouragement to new Christians. If we use as much energy in finding lost souls as we do lost possessions, our families, our city, our world would be a better place. Preaching to myself! Now, when I think about that necklace, I think of lost people and I am praying for them and for God to use me. The night that I wrote this I was so convicted that I thanked God for not wasting anything. He used my lost necklace to teach me a valuable lesson!
Here’s the best part! Luke 15: 10, “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” When someone becomes a child of God, we should share in the joy of that harvest! How can we not celebrate when the Light of salvation reaches a dark soul?! Luke 15: 7, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” I think about the day I accepted Christ and how Heaven rejoiced and then others, who I didn't even know, were rejoicing! And if you happen to be someone who has not accepted this free Gift of Salvation, Jesus is waiting for you and calling you. Acts 22: 16, “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name.”