God; Better Than a Metal Detector

The day before yesterday, the doorbell rang, and there stood Becky. There was a shine in her eyes, the kind that comes right before tears. “Do you have a metal detector?”

She lost her ring. At the coast. Two hours away. It was a gift from her husband. Custom made; birthstone for each child, names engraved by each stone. It was beautiful. Expensive. Meant more than money. “Do you have a metal detector?” She asked again.

“No. But I have a story, and a prayer.”

She looked a little disappointed, but politely listened while I shared.

“Once upon a time, a long time ago, I lived in a little, old house, in Minne-snow-ta.

One year it snowed so much I was concerned the roof might cave in. So, I climbed up to the ridge and pushed the snow off the roof. The mountain of snow was from the ground to the eve.

That’s when I noticed my wallet was missing. I owned a floor covering store at the time, and the wallet was filled with customer checks and money.

I stood at the base of the mountain, thinking the wallet was lost until spring. It was worse than a needle in a haystack.

But then I remembered a prayer I’d heard from a wizened Godly woman. I edited it a bit to fit. ‘Lord, I know, You know, where that wallet is. And if You were looking for something, and I could help You, as easily as You can help me, I’d do it. I pray, You’ll help me find that wallet. Thank You, amen.’

With that, I took one swipe at the mountain with a snow shovel…yes, there it was, pretty as a miracle.”  

Becky smiled. Was that shine in her eyes, a glimmer of hope?

We bowed our heads and said a simple prayer, something to the tune of, “Lord, we know, You know, where that ring is…”

Yesterday, the doorbell rang, and there stood Becky. 

They had gone two hours back to the spot, she thought, she’d lost the ring. Brand new metal detector in tow.

There was a shine in her eyes, the kind that comes right before someone tells you a great story.

She stood at the spot, looked up and said, "God I know, You know" turned around and…yes, there it was, pretty as a miracle.

 “I didn’t even need the metal detector.”

God knows, cares and answers prayers. 

For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.