(Disclaimer: This is an actual account of a real-life event. The story has not been altered in any way. This REALLY happened . . . )
Bonita attended a shower at a restaurant this past Saturday. When she was almost home she discovered she had lost her wedding ring. More than the value was the sentimentality that went with it. She has worn this ring most of the near 45 years of our marriage. Bonita could not rest until she had found that ring.
She called the restaurant in City Centre, where the shower had been held. The sweet girl who answered the phone went through three trash cans, looked in the area where the shower had been held, but sadly called with the bad news that they had not found the ring. “But, you can come look for yourself,” was her suggestion. That is what Bonita decided to do.
We left our house to go to Saturday night church as we regularly do. She was driving and took a turn not on our usual route to church. Without a hesitation she said, “I am going back to look for that ring.” We both were saddened by the missing ring. Note: before she entered the restaurant I said, “Let’s stop and pray we might find the ring: ‘Lord, please help Bonita find this lost ring. We trust You. We love You, and we know You can lead us to that lost ring.’”
She entered the area where the shower had been held and asked the unsuspecting diners to look for her ring. They looked and looked and found nothing. Entering the restroom, after a full day of patrons in the restaurant, she started the task at hand . . . going through three full cans of smelly trash. After going through the trash cans (she had brought rubber gloves with her), she decided to empty out one trash can, paper by paper. Down at the bottom of the disgusting, nauseating trash can was the bright gold ring shining up at her. What was lost was now found!
She washed the ring carefully at the sink, held it tightly in her hand and headed out. There was much rejoicing in that area of the restaurant, and in the car, as she shared her happy news with me.
Ring in hand, we drove off for church, hoping to not be too late.
NOW, HERE’S THE KICKER!
So we rolled into church just on time.
There was no coincidence that one hour later, in that evening service, Dr. Young was preaching on the passage of Luke 15. This is the section where the woman found her lost coin. This was a gift from God. This was our confirmation that everything . . . yes, EVERYTHING is a concern to our loving Father … even a ring in a smelly bathroom.
We were willing to give up the ring—it is just a material object—but the power of prayer has changed us. Years ago we would not have wanted to bother the Lord with such a small detail. But, we have found, in these years of illness, a calling out from us is what He wants to hear. He wants to be involved in everything in our lives . . . small, big . . . ANYthing that concerns us, concerns Him. God is BIG and He does BIG things!
Years ago, my dear, dear friend Ragan Courtney wrote and performed an excellent monologue by that woman with the lost coin found in Luke 15. The play was called Mountain Light–one of the most sensitive, dramatic, and touching portrayals of the lost coin. Hopefully, it is still in print or performed so that you can glean from Ragan’s insight into one of the most important chapters of the Bible. It is a timeless, artistic interpretation of this special scripture . . . what was lost was found.
God is continually seeking our heart, mind, and soul. We only have to admit that we are lost without Him.
We keep bumping into miracles. Amen.
Imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she’ll call her friends and neighbors: ‘Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!’ Count on it—that’s the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God. Luke 15:8-10
Bonita & Steve: thank you for the many times unknowingly you have blessed me spirituality. The mishap with Bonita’s ring really touched my heart, and brought back the scripture of the lost co. Put you Steve have stated about God caring about the little things in our life, and that is something that i have struggled with. My thought is there are so many people hurting, suffering from dreaded disease, have trouble fiancially are problems within the home and with children. These people have real problems and my problem is so petty I didn’t share them with God. Now I feel through your telling about praying about Bonita’s ring, that God love us so much He wants to share whatever is bothering us He wants to know. Thanks for bring out that fact. Now you see why many people have such love for you & Bonita. God bless you and Thank you again.
Janet