A Cross and a Necklace and Lost and Found Things

"'What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?'" (Luke 15:4)

I lost something really important. I mean, it was really, REALLY important.

I was given a cross / necklace to wear around my neck. It wasn't just any ol' cross / necklace. This one I received at my first communion in 8th grade from my uncle (who was my sponsor).

I was a Catholic at the time. I had not received Jesus Christ into my heart and life as my Savior and Lord yet (though God knew I would do that later). It was this cross that I'd been wearing around my neck ~ for the last 37 years ~ that I lost. (Some of you are calculating my age now.)

It's painful losing things that mean something to you. (Selah~pause to reflect)

When you lose something, you do anything to get it back. Right? Of course, I looked high and low for my cross / necklace. I retraced my steps. I peeked under places. I thought hard, "Where could it be?" I offered a reward to my kids if they found it. It seemed hopeless.

Now you got to know more about my life before I tell you how this story ends. This is not the first time I'd lost my cross. You see, the first time I lost it I was at the beach with my high school friends. I wasn't a Christian. We were drinking. And I lost my cross in the sand. Can you just imagine? Drunk. Losing something on the beach (of all places). There's no way you will ever find that thing again. Right?

Wrong.

It was a couple of hours later. I was lying there on my towel. I just happened to put my hand down in the sand. I felt something. Guess what it was. :)

Fast forward again to today's story. I just knew I would find my cross again this time, too. (I just knew it!) Deep down inside, I did. And even though it seemed hopeless, somehow I still thought, "If God could get a half sober unbeliever to find a cross / necklace on a beach in the sand ~ and more than that. Much more! If he could get a half sober unbeliever to come to Jesus and rescue his lost soul! ~ how much more might He give my cross back to me now?"

The worst loss is when it's us. That's what my lost cross represents ~ both before I was saved (came to Christ, received Jesus) and now after.

I'm writing here to remind you about God's ability and willingness (want to) to bring back lost things. I'm writing here to remind you about God's ability and willingness (want to!) to bring you back (to Himself).

I should know. ;D

(Oh. I almost forgot. About three days later my wife found my cross / necklace. It was in the washing machine!)

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