The Search
Losing something of value is a terrible feeling. It’s one thing to break it or drop it into a lake (oh, the sunglasses I have scattered across the bottom of lakes!), but to know something of value is out there lost is frustrating beyond measure.
Saturday, Elliott and I pulled up to the house with a load of lawn equipment in the van. He’s learning the value of a dollar and that money comes from the good Lord through our hard work. Simple as that. Just before we unloaded the van, I remember having the keys on the middle console. I didn’t drive the van for the remainder of the day, so I didn’t give any thought to the keys.
Sunday morning, I woke up happy as a cow eating corn. Church is always great, but there are a few Sundays every year that always seem to be special! When school returns to session, so do the rhythms and patterns of our lives. I love the energy that comes with Sundays in the fall!
As I am walking out of the house, I realize for the first time that I don’t have my keys. You can probably relate to the feeling when you become aware that something isn’t right. It’s a low-grade confusion at first that can spill over into full-blown panic. As I checked the normal resting places, the confusion quickly swelled into panic. The keys were nowhere to be found! Thankfully, Bethany and I both have a key to each vehicle, so I grabbed hers and headed out the door. I was annoyed to say the least, but we rallied together as a family. We prayed that God would help us find the keys later, and we headed off to church.
It was a great day, not just going to church, but being the Church!
Sunday afternoon, we turned the house upside down. Bethany and I had gone for a walk Saturday evening, so we re-walked our path, hoping the keys had perhaps fallen out. I even went for a good old dumpster dive! Nothing!
Sunday night, I was defeated. We spent a full afternoon vigorously searching, and no sign of the keys. It’s another story for another time, but running simultaneously to the key event was another challenging situation that was totally beyond my control. My very wise wife said it was time to cease our striving and find rest in worship. We called another family huddle to sing and pray, both praising and petitioning the Lord.
Monday morning took off like a rocket! It was the first day of Norfolk Public School, and the Granby High tardy bell rings at 7:25. I was standing under our porch, coffee in hand, with a storm of activity ensuing around me. You have to pass through the porch to get to the garage, and all the sports equipment stays in the garage. The foul smell that emanates from the cleats permanently bans them from the house. As my oldest was coming out of the garage, I noticed a spider descending from the ceiling. We’re no arachnophobes, but I did give my son the courtesy of knowing a spider was looming. As I turned to observe the origin of the spider’s descent, I looked up and there were the keys resting contentedly on an unused fern hook hanging from the ceiling. I declare! We had so much rejoicing on the way to school that our worship from the night before spilled over into a new day.
If losing something gives cause for sorrow, finding something gives cause for celebration!
The experience of the lost keys brought to mind the experience of the lost coin. The lost coin went missing years ago as it belonged to a Jewish lady in the 1st Century. Jesus told the story about the lady losing her coin, and because of her zeal to find it, she turned her entire house upside down. She does eventually find the coin, and when she does, she throws a party! It is euphoric when something lost has been found! You know that feeling, because you’ve experienced that feeling.
God our Father has an even greater passion when it comes to His pursuit of that which is lost. How incredible to know that we have a God who seeks and saves that which is lost! A holy, pure God who will even do a dumpster dive if it means bringing home that which is lost.
“Or what woman who has ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the silver coin I lost!’ I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents. Luke 15:8-10