I lost my wedding ring yesterday. Today, when it hadn’t shown up in any of its normal hang outs, I started an all-out search. The last place I remember seeing it is on the corner of the counter, and I began to wonder if I had wiped it up with the crumbs and thrown it out, so I even pulled on rubber gloves and went through the coffee grounds and lemon rinds in the kitchen trash. No luck.

I’ve been losing things since I was a kid. Funny how, as soon as something goes missing, it becomes exponentially more valuable. I didn’t help pick out my engagement ring. Honestly, I would’ve chosen differently, and sometimes I wish I could change it for something different or, since money isn’t as tight now as it was then, bigger or better. But as I searched for my ring today, I started thinking about how sweet the ring is. I got married young, and the ring is the best my husband could afford. He went and picked it carefully for me. He put thought into it. Wedding rings are supposed to represent the unending circle of love that lasts a lifetime, but, for me, now that I’ve considered what it would be like to replace my ring, my wedding ring will always be a reminder of where we started.

My search continued for over an hour. As I worked, I thought of the parable of the woman looking for her lost coin. It occurred to me that our God is a God of lost things. He has a heart for those who are seeking, and he will reward us for the time we spend scouring for glimpses of him and his truth. I also believe he has a heart for those who follow him, so that the things we care about are things he cares about, as well – including wedding rings. My prayer as I searched became this: You have a heart for those who are seeking. I know you know where my ring is. Show me where it is.

I was giving up my search. I had one last idea; I could check the pockets of the pants I wore on one of the last days I think I had it. When my fingers felt the firm weight of the ring, I couldn’t pull it out of the pocket fast enough. I actually waved my hands in the air before quickly jamming the ring on the wrong finger to admire it.

As I type with the ring now on the correct finger, I can’t help being grateful for this morning’s journey. God brings us on so many adventures in search of lost things – material and spiritual. Let’s not forget to trust him as we seek. He is the God of lost things, and he cares.