Luke goes on to share another parable about a woman who had ten silver coins and loses one. She turns on the lights, sweeps the house, and searches carefully. When she finds the coin, she calls neighbors to celebrate with her. I lost my remote control to the DVD player last week. I know it could not walk away. For a week I pulled the living room apart. I called a friend to help me look cause my eyes are getting old. She got on her knees. She turned on the flashlight on her cell phone. Perhaps I carried the remote with me for a potty stop and checked all unlikely places. I did not find it! It still niggles at my mind. Where is it?
Lostness left me feeling out of control, something was missing. I had to experiment to figure out which button on the machine controls on and off and I could not control fast forward or rewind. The machine and I were having trouble communicating properly.
I suspect when I am off balance spiritually it is similar. When I have to start the day on the run because I have overslept, my day is off. I’m not in sync with God. Interestingly the focus of the parable is not on the feelings of the coin but on the emotions of the owner and the extent the owner becomes frustrated and activated to find that coin. The coin may not even realize it is lost. It may think it is suppose to sit in a pocket of the coat to be spent at the store. The coin does not know but the owner does.
Lent tells us the danger the owner is willing engage to return communication with the coin. The journey to Jerusalem and the cross is a journey to bring us light and understanding. It is a journey that cleans house and limits the power of evil. It is a journey to rescue us, not just enlighten us, not just to make life easy. The result will be joy but we have not reached that part of the journey yet.
Let’s ponder today our communication system with God. Are we in sync or are we busy thinking we know where that coin is? Perhaps we don’t even know if we are lost. May we realize we are valued and God know wants us! Blessings.
On the Way to Wonder 