Distraction of Lost Diamonds
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? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.”
Luke 15:8-9
We had just sat down for lunch when I noticed it. My empty wrist. My heart sank. I didn’t want to say anything yet and quickly excused myself to search the women’s restroom, nothing. Then I retraced my steps through the parking lot, back to the car, still nothing.
When I returned to the table, my husband, Rick, asked what was wrong.
“My diamond bracelet, it’s gone!” I shook my head in disbelief.
“You haven’t worn that for a while. Are you sure you had it on?” he inquired.
“Yes, I distinctly remember putting it on this morning because I had trouble with the clasp. Oh honey, I am sick.”
He tried to assure me. “Don’t worry. It’s somewhere near, probably in the car.”
Then we began recalling the other stops we had made on our four hour trip to the Finger Lakes in New York. There were two others. One for gas and I didn’t get out of the car, the other for breakfast. I quickly phoned that place and spoke to a nice girl on the other end. She checked the lost and found and informed me that the only things she saw were a wallet and a ring. She took my name, number, and assured me they would reach out if it was found. I prayed as I hung up, ‘Lord please let them find it!’ By then, I had lost my appetite so we returned to the car, made one more thorough sweep, with no success. The final hour of our trip was spent reviewing our steps to see if we missed something.
I had an ache in my heart as we arrived to our destination. Rick reminded me that we couldn’t do anything more and prayed with me to try and ease my anxiety. Still I dreamt about every possible scenario including losing it forever. In spite of it all, we were able to enjoy ourselves and I waited until the last day of vacation to share my concern with the family.
We packed the car, prepared to retrace our stops home and check each of the parking lots one more time. I called the restaurant again, but nothing had been turned in. Both searches were unsuccessful and my heart sank further as I was giving up hope. It had been five days since I lost the bracelet and I was sure it was on someone else’s wrist.
All of a sudden, Rick recalled us switching drivers along the side of the highway. “It might be there!” he cried hopefully. It was a long shot in my mind. I asked him if we could find the exact spot we stopped. He assured me that he remembered. I was skeptical.
His eyes were scanning the countryside and monitoring the exits. “I think this is it,” he cried.
We turned off on the next exit and clover leafed around to the oncoming lane. I was doubtful, but he was confident we were near the exact place. The traffic was whizzing by as he pulled over. We both got out carefully and I started searching the ground behind the car, sweeping my foot through the grasses, scanning the gravel on cement of the shoulder, saying to myself “I believe,” half-heartedly.
Within three minutes of searching, I heard Rick shout, ”I got it!” I was sure he was joking. There was no way he found it that quickly. But as I walked around the car, there it was, my precious bracelet in his hands! He pointed to the place he found it. It wasn’t even three feet from our front tire, two feet from the heavy traffic.
What a miracle! Not only did he remember the exact place we pulled over, but this beautiful, valuable piece was lying on the shoulder of a busy freeway for an entire week, completely overlooked. I felt like God had protected it and kept it unnoticed until we returned. Even though it was a bit scratched up from the gravel and the clasp was bent, I was overwhelmed with joy! My bracelet, I thought lost forever was now found!
I couldn’t help but think of the widow who lost the coin and the joy she felt when she found it. If I feel this ecstatic over a bracelet, how much more does Christ rejoice when we find Him!
Now when I put the bracelet on my wrist, the clasp is like a lock. As if it’s saying ‘I’m not leaving you again’. We should be like that with Christ, clinging to Him, after all, He never leaves us.
Dear Lord, You never leave us or forsake us. When we feel lost or even wander away because of our own will, You are there, always waiting for us with open arms, ready to rejoice at our return! You even protect us when we are unaware of your presence. Your faithfulness never wavers. Thank you! Amen
Peg Arnold
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