Where are you? It’s one of the fundamental
questions of existence. From the earliest ages we teach it. We teach babies to
play peek a boo, and help kids learn to check in with us. Through out life,
that question of “where are you” is about the connectivity of relationships. Years
ago when I was a young mom, our older daughter Catherine and her Daisy scout
troop were scheduled to march in a Halloween parade in a neighboring town. And
she was all dressed up as a princess, which was her constant theme at that age.
She had a little tiara, and a dress I made, all pink and fluffy fabric, and
ballet slippers. After the parade was done, her group was still gathered with
their leaders when our younger daughter Alex, announced she had to find a
bathroom. NOW! So I left Catherine in the care of her leaders with their
permission while Alex and I wove our way through the crowd to the volunteer
fire company to take care of business. Well, when I returned, Catherine was
shockingly nowhere to be found. It was night, and there was a swarm of people, we
did not know. And I did not see her or her leaders. And I knew that the post
parade party for the group gathering was not at all a place for a 5 year old
princess.
I picked up our younger daughter and began
frantically searching. Looking for anyone who could tell me if they had seen
Catherine, or even anyone I recognized. Finally, blocks away I found the leader
with whom I had entrusted Catherine, who seemed unconcerned, and had forgotten
her job was to stay with our daughter. But she was sure it would be OK, and
since she had other things to do, waved goodbye.
She kind of treated my daughter like an object for
the lost and found. And she drove away. And I was left facing that “where are
you?” feeling that my daughter was seemingly invisible and unimportant to her.
And I felt lost too. Now I was doubly frantic, and walked back through the
whole swarm of people again, when I caught just a glimpse of the pink. And there
she was, talking to a couple who sometimes worshipped at our church. She just
wandered over and talked to people who were nice to her, and they recognized
that she was probably not there alone. She wasn’t really thinking she was lost,
but she was kind of alone. They just talked to her and kept her there safe,
knowing a grownup would appear. They were just being good people, and reassured
me it was nothing really.
But of course it was huge. Because while she was
lost to me, finding her was of critical importance. She must be returned to me.
And while part of me wondered what led her to wander off or who had let her, or
whether I had trusted the wrong person, none of that mattered when she was
found. Then the number one thing, the only thing on my mind was absolute
gratitude that she was found! In fact for me, it was a celebration!
And I think that’s what is happening in the gospel
and how God sees us.
Where are you? Is one of the first things God says
to humans in Genesis, it’s the burning demand of the prophets. And now Jesus
has come. Jesus has come for the sinners. Those separated. Those who may not
have been feeling lost, but maybe feeling alone. Who might be vulnerable and invisible
to others. Who for whatever reason seemed unimportant to the leaders entrusted
with their care. They weren’t worth getting worked up over. Jesus surely should
have better things to do. Some things just end up lost.
But it’s then that Jesus tells the parables- those
stories that illustrate a truth, today a look into God’s heart. About a sheep
and a coin. A shepherd so focused on finding the one who wandered off, and the
woman who rips her house apart looking for that one coin. Because no matter how
being lost has happened, restoration is vital. Lost must be found. That’s God’s
heart.
Recently I found out that I had a role in a story
like that. God showed me the end of a Lost Sheep story in a place where I was just
doing my ordinary life. We call the hospitals every day to see who’s been
admitted. Many months ago when I was still pretty new, the hospital computer
said a woman from our parish had been admitted. She was kind of unknown, but I
went to visit and learned her story and kept visiting. That's my job. Eventually
I was there just before death with the family. And later presided over a
service. That night in the hospital and again at the church, off handedly
someone said how good it was they had all gathered. I had no idea. That they
hardly ever gathered like that.
But recently I got a call recently from one of her
daughters. I learned that whole family was baptized here. I was shown a
baptismal napkin and a Bible in a box with Jesus on it. All the kids were
baptized here. But then there were years of hard living and feeling lost. For
everyone. The mom had not been here, and in fact had messed up pretty good over
time. And sadly, really no one was looking for them. Now her adult daughter said
she wrestled with that fact her mom hadn’t been who she could have. In the end she
knew it. "But when you came and said we could entrust her to God who was waiting
I realized what I have been missing. Yeah she messed up but God still brought
her home."
And then God brought this daughter back. That’s
God’s heart for us.
Ironically, that hospital lists people as connected
with a congregation when you say so, but over time, even 35 years later, nothing
changes unless you say so. You see, the woman who was sick, whose name showed
up that day, never actually asked for God to send the clueless new pastor. But
God was bringing her home.
Neither the coin nor the sheep ask to be found. The
wayward and estranged daughter wasn’t asking to be reunited. But regardless of
the reasons for being separated, and what forgiveness and mercy were needed, God’s
heart would not rest until they were restored.
And their return to the relationships God gave brought
blessings unexpected and in ways broader than might be obvious. Can you imagine
a God who loves like that?
And a God who uses us in this work?
Sometimes it might seem we are doing nothing
really. Shepherds are supposed to tend flocks; the housewife was expected to tend
her house. Pastors are supposed to visit people. What about the fellow church
goers who secured my daughter? They’re just like each of you when people cross
your paths. Not enough people in our world do what they did – tend relationships. But even so, more than we know, sometimes
when we are "just doing our job" whatever it is, God is doing life.
Each of you is here today because of it. Some of
you because you’re “doing a job” and some feeling lost, and some perhaps feeling
thankful. All of you are really here because God’s heart sought you out. Which
leads me to the best part. The parties.
When I had the kids read this lesson on Wednesday, I
asked what they thought about all the parties. Which drew a giant, WHAT??? What
parties?
There are three- the one Jesus is in that draws the
criticism. And the two in our parable-when what was lost was found. When “where
are you?” has been answered. They show us what happens when Jesus is in our
midst. Not only do we glimpse God’s ceaseless desire to draw us to God- that’s
what repentance is. They show us reunited to a God who will go to all lengths
to find us, to celebrate and who thinks that no matter what, we’re worth it. That’s
why we’re here!
If that’s not good news, I don’t know what is.
Let’s pray: Lord, thank you for your restless heart that finds us even when we don't know we're lost, and showers us with abundant love and mercy. May this inspire us to spread the party
Far and wide.
Amen.
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