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.” Yellow lady slippers are a rare find in the Smokies. I remember how excited I was the first time I found them a couple of years ago. So this year when it came time for them to bloom again I was so hoping that no one would have poached them and that they would still be where I found them. There was great relief and joy when I saw them again last spring. They are such beautiful and unusual flowers. I was filled with great joy. I was so happy that I think I must have taken a hundred pictures. I just wanted to sit there and look at them in all their beauty. I was so excited at finding them that I stopped every hiker walking by and showed them where to look. I wanted others to have that joy of seeing them.
This passage reminds me to remember the joy I had the first time and the last time I found the lady slippers. I think about a God who looks hard for us every time we are lost and then rejoices over finding us. Not only does he rejoice but his angels rejoice with him. And like the women who calls her friends and asks them to rejoice with her over the lost coin, God calls us also to rejoice when someone who is lost is found and to welcome them into our community. Prayer Lord God Who Searches Thank you for finding us when we are lost. Teach us to rejoice like you do when someone is found. Help us to welcome them with great joy for we were once lost too. Amen
1 Comment
Pam
9/15/2019 06:48:32 am
What a rare find and beautiful photo! Thanks for the reminder of the joy in being found by a loving God, and the importance of recognizing all those “lady slippers” out there who need rejoicing over.
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1 Corinthians 10:31
© 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Karen Milligan
1 Corinthians 10:31
© 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 Karen Milligan