She sat on the cold, hardwood flooring in her now empty and lonely bedroom. Her hands were in her lap and she was weeping quietly. Tomorrow she and her family would be flying out to live in another country. The weather outside, miserable, dark, cloudy, and rainy matched her insides.
“Why? Did she seriously have to lose the diamond in her engagement ring today of all days?!”
She cast her mind back to earlier that morning. She had cleared the last of the debris left, after packing and sealing all the boxes that would go before their departure. In her busyness, she had not noticed that her diamond was missing until she was locking the back door. It must have been loose for a while, the claws on the ring a little worn out. She simply had no clue as to where and when it had fallen. She had searched and searched all the rooms in every nook and cranny to no avail. It had completely disappeared.
“What if the new owners found it and wouldn’t return it?”
“Her husband was going to be livid. It has cost quite a bit and it was not insured”
She remembered the night he had given it to her. He had not got down on one knee but had sat her down on the wrought iron bench plonked on her patio. He had looked in her eyes lovingly, pulled out the black and gold velvet box, and had asked her to marry him. The ring was exquisite, dainty and delicate, the clear cut oval and pink diamond smiling up at her. It glistened and gleamed in the moonlight. She was so elated and overwhelmingly happy. He had told her then:
“I searched and searched, wanting to buy the ring I knew would suit you. I finally found it hidden away in a small jewelry shop in a little town I visited last week. “
Beautiful memories came flooding in unbidden and unrestrained. They made her cry once again. They had been so happy here with their three children but circumstances in the country had forced them to make unwanted choices.
“Would they be just as happy in this new country?” she found herself asking.
So many uncertainties that lay ahead….
She finally got down on her knees asking God to help her find that diamond. She decided to walk through all the rooms one more time before calling the search off and giving up. Each room yielded nothing. She was so disappointed and sad.
As she once again entered the kitchen, the sun had glimpsed a gap in the clouds and it shone brilliantly onto the kitchen floor. She gasped, holding her breath at what she saw there! On the floor lay her diamond, glowing and sparkling, beaming at her in the small circle of sunlight, as if someone had held out a torchlight to illuminate it!
God was so good. He had heard and had invited the sun to participate in that little miracle. A miracle indeed it was to her. She had counted her loss and was on her way to her car when she discovered it.
Joy overwhelmed her at that moment as well as immense thankfulness. Her God cared about her and her diamond knowing what it represented to her. He would take care of her and her family in this new county they would be living in. He would not leave her alone in all the challenges that still lay ahead.
God brought to my mind this testimony this morning as a remembrance of His goodness and love. This event actually occurred the day before my husband, son and I left Zimbabwe to immigrate to Johannesburg. I had completely given up searching when the sun encompassed my white solitaire diamond in that small circle of light so that it glowed and there was absolutely no way I could have missed it!
He wants us to know that He cares for us daily; even in the seemingly small issues of our lives, as well as in the massive things we are facing today. He understands and knows what is important to us and He longs and yearns for us to come to Him with it all.
“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God. Let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet He did not sin. LET US APPROACH GOD’S THRONE OF GRACE WITH CONFIDENCE, SO THAT WE MAY RECEIVE MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP US IN OUR TIME OF NEED “
Hebrews 4: 14-16.
I sensed Him saying to us that we need to be searching, longing, and pining for the kingdom of heaven like the woman in our story hunting for her lost, precious diamond. She valued it highly and her husband had paid a huge price for it, taking his time and energy to select the perfect diamond ring for her. She had proudly shown it off to her family and friends.
Can we not do the very same thing with God’s kingdom? Will I desperately yearn for Him and His ways, His kingdom, and His presence? Will I show off my God proudly and boldly?
I would like to end off with a few more questions for you to ponder on:
“What would I give/sacrifice to bring the kingdom of heaven here on earth, to introduce others to it and to Him?”
“Will it be my time, energy, finances, or even my reputation with man?”
“What do I consider more valuable than my relationship with God?”
“Will I hunger and thirst for the more that He has on hand?’”
“Will I search for it desperately or do I easily give up, content with the status quo?”
My friends the choice is always ours to make.
