Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?
Luke 15:8

Have you ever lost anything that was very dear or precious to you? Of course, we all have! Have you ever misplaced something and while it might not have been that valuable you were still anxious to recover it? Yes, of course, we all have!

We can become a little crazy in our search for whatever has been lost or misplaced. I am focused on finding that item and I would be more productive if I would take the time to discard items I no longer need while I am searching.

I am so bent on finding what I am looking for and I am tossing things right and left as I go through this box, this closet, or this drawer. I am ashamed to admit sometimes the box, closet or drawer is not in as good shape as it was before I searched that place. I’m not as bad as detectives or hoodlums that might be doing a search, but things are not always left neat and in order.

It is so frustrating to lose or misplace something. On the occasions when I have found whatever it was for which I was looking, I often utter a “Thank you, Lord,” for having found it. I do not throw a party to celebrate, but I am eager to share the good news with family or friends of what I believed to have been lost or misplaced has been found. There are some things that remain lost or misplaced and never are recovered. I try to remember the stories about them and I try to put the items out of my mind so I don’t go crazy looking for them. When they are never found, I try to learn or relearn a lesson from that experience … like putting things back where I found them, being more careful or getting better or more organized.

Coins and stuff are important, but people are even more important. Jesus relates how God is like that woman who rejoices upon having found the lost valuable coin. God rejoices over one sinner who repents because that person is of inestimable value in God’s economy.

Prayer

Oh Lord, once we were lost, but You found us as we repented. Thank You, Lord! And thank you Lord when we find what we believed to have been lost or misplaced. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.