Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 3: Year 1
Morning, Psalms 26 and 28; Evening, Psalms 36 and 39;
Deuteronomy 4:15 to 24; 2nd Corinthians 1:12 to 22; Luke 15:1 to10;
“Rejoice with me” (Luke 15: 6 and 9)
“Rejoice with me” are the words articulated when we find ourselves restored back to where we were before we lost what we had. It is said when the shepherd found the lost sheep, and again when the woman found the lost coin. It is meant by me (if not actually said) when I find my keys, or glasses, or sermon notes. We were whole, and all of a sudden, we lost something! Then we were lost. We can’t hide it. People who know us can tell. They can see our confusion and worry. We have to find what we are missing.
While these two lost stories of Luke 15 leads to the lost son, it explains a lot about us. We don’t celebrate how wonderful it is to not have lost anything, to be glad about what we have before anything is lost. We can’t count our blessings that haven’t happened yet but we should be very thankful and glad about what we have before it is lost, if it gets lost.
As I alluded to earlier, I lose stuff all the time. I try to have a place for everything, and everything in its place. But inevitably something will get misplaced. I can’t hide my frantic search for something missing. Secretly, there is something energizing about the search for the missing – about waiting for something lost to return to where it belongs. I even get involved in the search for things that others have lost. When the item is found, it’s rejoicing time!
Maybe the hardest thing to find is our lost faith. If we have it and it is lost it shows. We were whole, and all of a sudden, we lost something important! Then we were lost. We can’t hide it. People who know us can tell. They can see our confusion and our worry. We have to find our missing faith. We should be happy to help anyone find their lost faith. After all, it is not really lost, rather, it is misplaced, maybe somewhere in your mind. We will find it and put it back where it belongs, in your heart. Stop thinking and start loving. And then we will rejoice!
Let us live to love, more than just love to live, listening to what the Spirit is saying to, and through, the saints of God, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 