Lost and Found

My thought for today begins with a question.  Have you ever lost a wallet or purse?  If so, I am sure you can relate to this writing. 

Remember the panic you felt in the pit of your stomach when you discovered that it was gone?  It wasn’t so much the money that I was concerned about; the angst of cancelling credit cards, obtaining a new driver’s license and medical card was now facing me.  I fretted deeply regarding identity theft.

I thought that I had been pick-pocketed at a garage sale, because I had the wallet in my hip pocket starting out that Saturday morning, but after the first or second sale, the wallet was gone. 

The experience left an indelible impression in my mind to take precautions as to the contents that I pack with me and to be more aware of my surroundings.  Lessons learned?  Yes, but who needs this kind of stress in their life? 

It is amazing how many times I looked under and behind my truck seat and every room in my house after hurrying home.  I retraced my steps and racked my brain; replaying the morning’s activities over and over again.  I was a mess.

It is easy to tell someone else that is going through similar anxieties to let God be their strength and not worry.  But when the experience becomes firsthand, the anguish of the event makes it harder to believe that God is concerned and will see you through the ordeal.  We just need to learn how to trust Him in all circumstances of life. 

My wife, the encouraging person that she is, told me that she felt strongly that the wallet would be returned through the mail, dropped off at the local police station, or brought directly to our front door by the person that found it.  She believed, because she had already given the situation to God, while I checked the mailbox, looked under my truck seat again, and looked in every room of the house for the umpteenth time.

I called the fraud alert; cancelled my credit card; went to the Department of Motor Vehicles; and the following Monday we went to the police station and filed the necessary report after being told that the wallet was not there.  Things were looking bleak, yet my wife reiterated, “You’re going to get it back.”  Wow, what faith!

How many times do we pray for help, but in the back of our mind we think that there is no hope?  Faith will move mountains when we trust that God will work out all things according to His perfect will for us. 

What is the mountain in your life that needs to be moved?  Pray, and then believe that God hears your prayer and will do what He said He would do in the Bible (give you the desires of your heart).  Then have faith to leave it in His hands to accomplish what needs to be done…not like the guy in the following paragraph.

I am reminded of a man that wanted to test his faith.  So one evening, before retiring, he looked through his bedroom window at a mountain in the far distance and exclaimed, “Mountain, be cast into the sea!”  The next morning he went to the window, and sure enough the mountain was still there.  “Just as I expected” he affirmed.

Where was his faith?  He prayed a miss.  He didn’t really believe that the mountain would be gone, because of his last statement. 

We need not test our faith in this manner, but when an opportunity arises that faith is knocking at the door to challenge our belief, we must open the door by faith and allow faith to receive the answer to our prayer.  Remaining behind closed doors accomplishes very little.  It takes opening the door to receive what God has for us. 

(Revelation 3:20), “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

My office is at the front of my house overlooking the street.  In this day with home invasions becoming more frequent, I am cautious as to whom I open the entry door.  Monday afternoon about 4:00 o'clock, two days after losing my wallet, a black car pulled up in front of my house.  I have heard that criminals sometimes use women as a ploy to get a homeowner to open their door and then men will storm the opening.

I heard a knock at the door.  I peaked out and a young woman was standing there with something in her hand.  I cautiously opened the door and the first words out of her mouth were, “Did you lose a wallet?” as she held it up for me to see. 

I could not believe my eyes!  But I should have, because I prayed that God would someway return it.  My driver’s license, credit card, medical card, important papers, and my pictures were all there.  She had found it in the gutter on her way to school.  It must have fallen out of my pocket, while exiting the truck.  Amazing!  Just amazing that I was staring at my lost wallet!  I was awestruck.

(Psalm 84:11), “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

God is concerned about the small things just as much as the big ones.  Though I had taken care of everything I needed to do when losing important cards, etc., the peace of mind and ecstatic joy that I experienced in seeing my wallet again was overwhelming.  It showed me just a glimpse of what God must feel when a wayward soul repents of their sins and is reunited with Him.

The lyrics to the song, Amazing Grace, say it all.  “I was lost, but now I’m found.”  I was like the wallet, away from my keeper, but God reached down into the gutter where I had ended up and brought me to the very door where I was received with great rejoicing.  Jesus will do the same for you.  Just say His name, repent of your sins, and believe.

(Luke 15:10), “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Written by,

Papa Boyd