Lost and Found

By Heather Arbuckle –

In the midst of one of the coldest winters on record, a new storm was in our local forecast. With a cold front blasting toward us, I was dismayed to hear my son announce his winter coat was missing.  We thoroughly searched every closet and corner of our modest home, yet came up empty-handed.  Neither did we find it at Jack’s taekwondo school, where he spends a significant amount of his time.  And it wasn’t buried among the other misplaced hats, coats, and gloves in the “lost and found” crate at his school. Naturally, I began to believe that Jack’s coat might actually be gone for good and my heart began to fret.  My son, however, took another approach, choosing faith rather than fear. “Don’t worry Mom,” Jack said calmly, “God knows where it is. My coat will turn up.”

Silently, I considered the wisdom of Jack’s words, and decided to take my son’s lead. Offering a desperate plea, I  prayed, “God, we need your help. Please direct us to Jack’s coat. He will be so cold without it. Help us to find it.” That evening, as my husband Marty was driving home from work,  he felt led to go to our church and check for Jack’s coat.  Barely visible in the shadows of the unlit room, the coat was stuffed beside a speaker on the stage. As Marty walked through the door with Jack’s winter coat in hand, I rejoiced and thanked God, for He had returned what was surely lost.

Mistakenly, I once believed that God was uninterested in the mundane details of life. Underestimating the love of my Heavenly Father, I failed to take everyday concerns to Him. Instead, I chose in vain to seek worldly solutions.  Unfortunately, this short-sighted approach only led to bitter disappointment, as God instructed, “Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save”.  (Psalm 146:3 NIV)   Countless sleepless nights filled with anxiety brought bondage, as God reminded, “Do not worry about tomorrow.” (Matthew 6:34 NIV)  Inevitably, exhaustion took hold as I failed to solve my problems in my own strength, as God  warned “look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.”  (1 Chronicles 16:11 NIV)   In each instance, I had failed to turn toward my Heavenly Father.  Through the years, my growing relationship with the  LORD deepened,  and I learned to faithfully pray in all things.   God, being lovingly present and active in my life, never fails to prevail and provide. And I am often amazed by the ways He “shows off” in my life.

Truly, there are no petitions too big or too small for God.  In His goodness, God hears His children and answers every prayer offered in faith. Sometimes He is able to say, “yes” and we rejoice.  Other times, God compassionately says “no” in order to give us something better. Never is a petition or request ignored or left unattended. God is never too busy to listen to His children and He delights in our prayers.  For it is through prayer that we demonstrate our dependence on Him alone. As believers, we are called to obediently pray and faithfully believe that God will indeed answer our cries. Whatever is lost can surely be found when we fix our eyes on Christ.