“It’s happened again. I’ve lost another piece of diamond jewelry,” I shouted, “and I don’t have time to look for it because I have to go to work.”
Earlier as I ran downstairs to eat breakfast, I realized that the turtleneck shirt and sweater I had on were going to wreak havoc on my internal temperature gauge. I had to change. Running back upstairs, I hurriedly threw off the sweater. I tried to be careful removing the turtleneck because of my earrings. Grabbing another shirt out of my drawer, I ran to my bathroom, opened the closet, set up the ironing board, and pressed the shirt. As I put it on, I realized my left ear was missing an earring. “Shoot, I don’t have time for this right now.” I screamed aloud.
I looked down and there on the bathroom floor lay my earring jacket (I love my little diamond earrings because I can vary the look with three different earrings jackets). On the floor of my bedroom I found the back but no earring. Frantically I looked around my bedroom and bathroom. No earring. I began looking some more until I glanced at the clock. Skipping breakfast and leaving for work, I knew what I would be doing when I got home.
All day I battled my thoughts, trying to believe my earring would be found. When I returned home, I QUICKLY let my dogs out and then picked up my Bible. I read from Luke 15 (the chapter about the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son or prodigal). I focused on verses 8-10: “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.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
“That’s gonna be me, right God?” I asked, and began my search. Off and on I hunted for my earring four hours (yes, I fixed dinner and washed dishes) with no success. While watching TV with my husband, I prayed, “God, in the scheme of things, it’s only jewelry. But he gave me those diamond earrings 25 years ago. Please help me find them.” An hour later I dressed for bed in my bathroom. Flipping my night shirt over my head, I heard a clink and looked on the floor. MY DIAMOND EARRING! NO WAY!! YES WAY BECAUSE MY GOD CARES!!!
I have no idea where it came from and I’ve given up trying to figure it out. I’m claiming another small miracle (like the diamond story I shared on 1/16/11 in Committed to Jesus) from the God who loves me. SO if He cares about me and my diamonds, as well as lost sheep and lost coins, then He cares about our lost children. Read Luke 15 and listen to heaven’s celebration over the return of the lost.
Now read Isaiah 43:5-7 (our MP verses) and believe:
Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!‘ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!‘ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
Do you believe? Do you have just a little faith? Read Matthew 17:14-21 and hear Jesus’ instructions about faith to all of His disciples (that includes us)......He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
Here’s another story about faith from one of our own MPs. She hopes everyone will draw strength and hope from her testimony.
She walked outside to her car with her three boys. It had been a wonderful church service and she had sacrificed the offering of her tithe to the One who is always by her side. With everyone buckled up, she turned the key to start the car and nothing happened. She tried it again and nothing. Deliberately determined not to freak out, she prayed silently, “OK God, I know you can take care of this situation and I need to get my family home. Besides I just paid my tithe and I know you are pleased.”
Now she had a chance to show her boys how to respond with faith during a crisis. As she was telling them how nothing is impossible with God, she looked in her rearview mirror and parked directly behind her was a tow truck. A TOW TRUCK IN THE CHURCH PARKING LOT - it was as if someone waved a magic wand and poof - a tow truck appeared! NO WAY!! YES WAY BECAUSE HER GOD CARES!!! And she proclaims, “God’s grace is sufficient.”
Are you convinced just how much our God cares for us? The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:6-7: Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your care (your anxiety) on him because he cares for you. He cares that our cars are working, He cares about our lost jewelry or coins, He cares about lost sheep and prodigals. Even if your belief is as small as a mustard seed (do you know how tiny a mustard seed is???), go to Him and put Him in remembrance of His Word - Isaiah 43:26. Believe in His promises because the Word says in 2 Corinthians 1:20: For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
God’s grace is sufficient and plentiful! It says so in 2 Corinthians 12:9 - But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
YES!! YES WAY BECAUSE OUR GOD CARES FOR US ALL!!! AMEN!