Have you ever walked into a room and
forgotten why you were there? Then you declare to no one but yourself, “What
did I come in here for?”
Senior moments are contagious. My sister, Paula, asked
me the other morning, “Have you seen my wedding rings? I came in last night and
took them off. Now I can’t find them.”
“I’m sure they’re here somewhere,” I
replied, not too concerned. Paula has a large house with lots of travel paths
throughout. She could have laid them down anywhere. I wrote a reminder note to ‘find rings’ (as if Paula would need
one!) and we left for the day to run errands. We searched a few hours later that
night with no results. I thought to myself, I
need to pray and ask God to reveal where those rings are, then I got ready
for bed and immediately forgot to pray.
The next morning I woke to find
Paula going through the recycle bag by her chair. I was prompted to pray with her
but something distracted me and I forgot again. Later I found her in the
bathroom quite panicked that her rings still hadn’t appeared. She was opening
every drawer and cabinet, cleaning, and going through her laundry.
I went back in the kitchen and started pulling
everything away from the counter’s edge. I said a quick prayer as I pulled out
drawers, got a flashlight and looked under the toe kick, and then moved into
the living room to look under the chairs, couch, and coffee table. Nothing! Now
Paula and I were both in a panic. We had searched the laundry room, the car,
the bathroom, the kitchen, the garbage cans, and the living room.
I thought again that I should pray, and again I didn’t
stop to do it, I was too busy looking. Paula came in the kitchen and retorted that
I should be more systematic in my search. She and I are quite different and usually
approach things contrary to one another. I snapped back that I was doing it my
way. It was as if God finally shouted at me—STOP! . . . PRAY! . . . NOW!
I pulled a chair up in front of Paula and grabbed her
hands. “We’re not doing another thing until we pray.” I asked God’s forgiveness
for disobeying His promptings to pray like I knew I should have from the
beginning. Then I asked Him to open our eyes and show us that what was hidden would
be revealed and to direct our footsteps to the exact location of those rings.
Amen!
I left the kitchen and walked to the edge of the
living room, then stopped and turned immediately to the entry hall where Paula
has a display case of weeping gold glassware. The top of the case is filled
with gold pieces and the second one I looked in held her wedding rings. Maybe all
of thirty seconds had passed from praying that prayer to God answering it.
I picked up the rings and went back to the kitchen. Paula
was still rifling through papers when I said, “God is so good!” She looked up
and I held out the rings. We both laughed and hugged and wept and thanked God. I
showed her where they were and then she remembered having placed them there.
I hate to admit it but I haven’t been reading my Bible
lately and prayer has been quick and slight. I’ve let myself follow distractions
down a rabbit trail instead of pursuing the Lord with all my heart. I’ve always
had good intentions but they don’t get the job done. The best blessing to me
was not just finding the rings but realizing God had been prompting me over and
over again to stop and pray—to fully seek Him. He knew where those rings were
and was just waiting for me to obey Him . . . and I had not heeded the call.
Why do we sometimes go to God last
instead of first? He always shows
Himself mighty on our behalf, especially when we are obedient and draw close to
Him.
Paula and I prayed together again, this time a prayer
of praise and thanksgiving. What a joyful noise we made rejoicing that what once
was lost . . .
. . . HAD NOW BEEN FOUND!
