rejoice!

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!*

(photo by me, of my hand)

Today, I lost my ring! The one I got from my grandmother from a garage sale almost 4 years ago. It was very special to me, party for the reasons just stated but more importantly because I use it to remind myself of a promise I made to God back when I was 15: that I would stay pure until marriage. I called it my Purity Ring. The problem with my rings is that I play with them a lot, subconsouesly, so I'm not surprised that it went missing. Yet it still gave me a shock!

I noticed in the library, sighed and began to worry. I chided myself for being thoughtless and not taking better care of my possessions. Then I looked on the flood around me, then in my pack, checking all the pockets, I checked the pockets of my trousers. Nothing. In my panic I remembered the story Jesus told of the lady with the lost coin, who searches everywhere for it, and then when she finds it she rejoices.** So I started to pray, that I would find it, that someone would have noticed it and kept it safe, that I would not worry about it, instead trusting God's provision. I then started retracing my steps, across the road, past the cafe, towards a class room; all the while scanning the floor. By this stage my prayers have reminded me that in everything I am to rejoice, and so I smile as I pass class mates. I walk briskly into the room: there is a guy in there, he straight away noticed by my expression that I was looking for something. I admit that I have lost something, then go to my chair and peek all around it, nothing. But then something two meters away catches my attention, under a table near the table leg is my little ring! I dart over and pick it up. The guy asks if I have found it, I say I have, and skip out of the room thanking God in my mind, for what was lost is now found! There is such joy in finding things!

As I reflect back on the situation, I see how despite my urgency to find my ring I was not anxious, I knew that I could cope with not finding it. And I found such indescribable peace while on my search, it didn't deminish my desire to find my ring, but it made me not panic so much. All this is because Jesus heard my prayer and answered me. It wasn't a massive issue, it wasn't life and death, but God cares about us, the big things than happen and the small. He loves to give good gifts to those who ask him!*** So don't ever hesitate to ask, because nothing is too small or unimportant for God!

(photo by me, of my hand)

 

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."*

*Philippians 4:4-7
**Luke 15:8-10
***Matthew 7:11