The Case of the MIssing Items

     After our Thanksgiving holiday, several things turned up missing.  Of course, we also found a few things that were left behind as usual, but somehow my couch pillow in the family room had disappeared.  I contacted family members to see if someone scooped it up by accident.  No one had seen it.  I searched my closets, under beds and every place I thought it might have gotten to.  Having 21 people in your home, things have a way of being moved.  Finally, as I was sweeping the carpet, I decided to check under the recliner side of my couch, and what to my “wondering eyes should appear” (to borrow a phrase) but my pillow.  It fit neatly under the seat and I suppose the children tucked it in there as they spent time playing in the family room.  That was not the end of my hunt though.

     Having a busy toddler (18 months) in the house, I discovered a couple of pieces of my “Little People” plastic manger set missing.  He didn’t play with the manger set as much as throwing the pieces or placing them in different spots.  As I was looking for an item in my laundry room, I found one of the Magi in my plastic wrap for bottled water.  That was  a lucky find; however, Baby Jesus was still missing after they left to return home.  I think I searched about everywhere I could think when I saw something out of place in one of my plant pots.  I didn’t know what it was at first.  As I looked closer, it was, indeed, my Baby Jesus.  Hallelujah….I had found Him.  Putting Him back in the manger set, I wondered to myself, how often do we lose Jesus in all the activities of the holidays?  There is always so much to do after all.

      When we are up to our ears in Christmas decorations, cookies and receptions to attend, do we take time to pray, read the Word and spend time in worship?  Jesus told us in Matthew 6:33:  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”  In other words, God meets our needs and cares for us.  We need not stew over things but the imperative for every believer is to put the Lord first in our lives. Then, Paul encourages us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (I Thessalonians 5:17).  I certainly did a lot of praying while looking for those missing items.  God never fails to answer either.  We just have to trust in Him to help us with the big things as well as the little things in life.  Finding manger pieces and a pillow may seem like silly things to pray for but God cares about all that we care about.  Throughout my life, I have learned to lean on Him when my five senses cannot locate something I have lost.  He has never failed to help me find those items.

       Perhaps the biggest thing that can get lost in the holiday season is time for genuine worship of God in the House of the Lord.  It is so easy to just stay in bed instead of getting up and preparing to go to church.  However, we deprive ourselves of the very spiritual food we need when we do this.  Hebrews 10:25 encourages us to persevere:  “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.”  If we keep our priorities straight during this time of celebration, we will not get lost in the hustle and bustle.

       Time spent with the Lord is never wasted time.  We are enriched by His Word, filled with His presence in prayer and loved by Him through the care of others when we fellowship together at church. We must not get lost like my “Little People” in the manger set or my couch pillow.  Keeping Christ at the center of our activities puts everything in perspective.  Lets not get lost in activities but be “found” faithful in all that we do that the true meaning of Christmas will shine through us!  Selah!