Last night my wife and I were at dinner with some friends and, as we began to leave the restaurant, she realized that her wedding band was not on her hand. The ring that was missing is not the ring I gave to her on our wedding day because a few years ago we noticed the diamond had fallen off of her ring and it was never found. The ring we were now looking for was her grandmother’s wedding ring. Not only did it represent her commitment to me but it also represents the love she has for her grandmother. It is also one of the few reminders she has of her grandmother. She remembered she had removed the ring during a workout session at a place in downtown. Well, that is at least the excuse she came up with! Sounds kind of suspicious to tell your spouse that you lost your wedding ring on a Sunday night in downtown but I knew it was true. We hurried home, dug through pockets of clothes that may have been worn, emptied purses several times, and searched under every car seat, but with no luck. My wife was obviously very upset about this loss and I completely understood. I have a few notes from my grandmother and an ugly stuffed clown but I would fight anyone who tries to take these simple items. It’s all I have to remind me of my grandmother. I encouraged her to believe it would be found at one of the places we have visited since the last time the ring was worn. I also prayed several times throughout the night for the ring to be found. I did not care if it took a few days, if the owner of the gym found the ring, or if it just appeared and we never knew where it had been. We woke up the following morning and I searched the car one more time. Each time I felt the edge of a coin that was stuck in the seat cushion I became excited but quickly was let down again. I did however make about $1.50 in change! My wife left for work with plans to stop by the gym to search for the ring. She called later with the good news of the ring that had been found. She said the ring was found behind a sofa by a young girl working at the gym. We were both thankful that what had once been lost, was now found.
The past twelve hours of my life have reminded me of several things. First, I learned I need to vacuum under the seats of our cars more often. Second, is the Parable of the Lost Coin from Luke 15. Jesus asks the disciples, “If a woman has ten silver coins but loses one, doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? I thought of this while searching under the seats of my wife's car with a flashlight last night! Jesus goes on to tell the disciples that when the woman finds the lost coin, she calls her friends and they rejoice together. And, when a sinner, who was once lost but has now been found, repents there is rejoicing by God in the presence of the angels. Third, I am reminded of the most famous church hymn, Amazing Grace. Everyone knows this song, or should, but it says, “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”.
Most of all, I think about how God searches for us until we are found and saved. We may not want to be found or we may tell Him to "leave us alone," but He continues to search. And when He finds us, He rejoices with the angels.
Also kind of cool that, even with all the big problems of the world, He still had time to answer a prayer about a lost ring.
Chad
No comments:
Post a Comment