Lost and Found
“A multitude of camels shall cover you…they shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD.” – Isaiah 60:6
It takes more cultural competency than I have to appreciate being covered by a multitude of camels. Still, I get the point of the text: it means abundance as a gift. It means lots is on its way to you, even though you imagine the opposite.
I have a pair of socks that match a pair of tights that I really like. When I lost one of the socks, I was bereft. I knew it was some place and refused to toss the tights and the remaining sock. I allowed them to languish, alone, in my drawer. After two years of being lost in a suitcase, the orphan sock appeared.
If you have never lost a sock, do make fun of me. If you are a “loser” or somebody who loses stuff, have pity or at least em-pity on me.
Recently I lost my new calendar and medical records, all of which I had installed in a convenient small bag. The calendar was so new I hadn’t put my name in it.
Two weeks later my losses showed up in the mail. The finders had called my doctor and used my prescription number to locate me. I called to thank them and apologized for the inconvenience my convenience bag had caused them.
Why tell stories about socks and bags? Because that which is lost can still be found. Because there are kind people in the world who will help you out and even bother themselves to do so. God is a gift giver. Be prepared to find things you thought were gone.
Prayer
Send us lots of camels and let us send lots of camels, too. Amen.
About the AuthorDonna Schaper is Senior Minister at Judson Memorial Church in New York City. Her most recent book is I Heart Frances: Letters to the Pope from an Unlikely Admirer.