In March, a roller coaster ride described the week we had with Mother’s health. Elevated temperatures and severe chilling episodes culminated in another ambulance ride. Thankfully, her EMTs while unloading her at the hospital told how Mother cracked jokes on the way, comparing the ambulance trip to a roller coaster ride. The intravenous fluids she received seemed to help immensely. Once again, no major red flags waved. She came home.
Angie had stayed four days and three nights. As she packed to return home on the fourth day, she couldn’t locate her glasses. We began searching for them not wanting to awaken Mother. Then Angie spoke softly, “My wedding ring is not in the leaf.”
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| Photograph from the wedding album of Angie and Ben. They exchanged rings and vows on May 28, 1994. |
Normally,
Angie stored her wedding ring in a leaf-shaped dish on the table next to her
bed. We both silently prayed for God to enlighten our eyes to the two lost
objects – one much more valuable than the other.
Suddenly
as I passed Mother’s bed, I spied the missing glasses. I quickly took them to
Angie. I silently prayed, Lord, You know where Angie’s ring is. Please open
our eyes to the ring.
God faithfully helped us find Angie’s
ring. I raised my hands in thankfulness as Dad would have done. God showed
lavish grace in allowing us to locate the missing items.
I
remembered Dad often recalling Brother Ray Hart’s message, “Lost in the House”
based on Luke 15:8-10 whenever something was lost in the house. Jesus told this
parable of a woman who had lost one of her ten silver coins.
According
to Biblical notes, these ten coins were drachmas. This Greek word
indicated a coin equivalent to a day’s wages. In our 21st century
way of thinking, the garland of the ten drachmas belonging to a married woman would
equal a two-week paycheck. The woman’s loss of this coin in Jesus’s parable
might be comparable to the disappearance of a stone from a wedding ring set
which represented a substantial loss.
Just
as Angie and I turned on lights, the woman lit the lamp. We searched carefully
just as the woman had done.
The
lost coin didn’t find itself. Just as the woman initiated the search, God was the
one seeking for lost souls. The woman wanted the coin to be back in its
rightful place on her garland of coins symbolizing her marriage. God desired
that humans live in fellowship with Him – their rightful place.
Jesus
compared her joy at finding the lost coin to the joy in the presence of the
angels over a sinner’s repentance. Jesus stated, Likewise, I say to you,
there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
Jesus did not say the angels rejoice. He declared the joy was in the presence of the angels. I told Mother I believe our loved ones who died in Christ praise joyfully every time a human here on earth responds to Jesus with a life-altering commitment.
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| Upon hearing of the episode of Angie misplacing her wedding ring, Ben suggested "Just wear a slicone ring when you work at the farm." After 30 years, Ben knew their commitment to each other didn't depend on an external symbol. Just as believers in Jesus, the marriage relationship is illustrated by the respect and commitment day-to-day in our obedient actions. |
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