Lost

No, it's not about the tv show. I've never even seen the show, I don't even know what's it's about except that obviously someone is lost.

I cannot stand to lose things. I've probably blogged about it before. Some lost pictures...a lost "faith" ring...Elizabeth's glasses. It drives me bananas. So as we're packing up to leave Africa, I look for my cell phone. It doesn't work in Africa, so I hadn't seen it in several days. I thought it was in my little suitcase. I unpacked and repacked it three times looking for that crazy phone. Then I did the same thing with my large suitcase and my backpack. I was about to go crazy. Not because my phone is some precious commodity, but because I just can't stand it when I can't find things. (On a side note, Derek says next time he's irritated with me, he's just going to find something of mine to hide and then watch me tear the house apart looking for it. I hope he's joking with me or that he doesn't ever get irritated with me again!)

I didn't find the phone in Africa, but I thought, I'll search again once I get home. Maybe I just overlooked it. And then I couldn't find my headphones for my ipod and I started thinking...maybe my phone and my headphones got left on the plane in Amsterdam or slid out of my bag when it was under the seat. No time to look for headphones...I'll look when I get home. At this point, I'm still extremely frustrated that I cannot find my phone, but God starts talking to me about the lost coin and the lost sheep. How the woman looked and looked for the lost coin and how the shepherd looked and looked for his lost sheep. It didn't matter that he had 99 other sheep, where was the one? And then God reminded me, that it's all about the "one".

Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the need all around me and feeling like, "can one person or one family really make a difference"? We can make a difference for at least one. Have you heard the story about the starfish on the beach? It mattered to that one.

And because God just has a good sense of humor, my luggage got lost. Never made it to Atlanta with the plane. And it stayed "lost" for several days. It finally came minus a simply love Africa shirt that some airport employee is now sporting (that's a whole different story). My phone and headphones were never found, but that's okay because there was a lesson to be learned in all of it.

May we be found faithful with whatever "one" or "two" God entrusts to us. Let's not miss the oppportunity we have with "one", because we're overwhelmed with the thousands. God's capable enough to handle it all without us, but He gives us opportunity to partner with Him. I don't want to miss the opportunity!

Luke 15:6
Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'

Luke 15:9
And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'

Luke 15:24
For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

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."