A Lost Camera Lesson

During a recent trip to the Magic Kingdom at Disney World a camera was lost.  Not only was it lost – it was lost at night shortly before closing.  We prayed, “Lord, help us find the camera.”  With thousands of people in the park, where would a person begin to look?  The best choice was to check where we had been towards the end of the evening.  We retraced our steps, looked around the grounds, asked at the last ride we attended and checked at lost and found.  Nothing was found and our expectations were very low.  However, we were told to call Disney’s Lost and Found the next day with a description of what the camera looked like and approximately where we thought we may have lost it.  This was done, but still nothing.  “Well, that is lost” we said, “And it will probably never be found or was taken by someone else.  This may be an experience that can teach us a life lesson.”  The following day we decided to call lost and found one final time.  A smile appeared on our faces because the camera had been turned in.  It was available for us to retrieve it or they would ship it to us.  We rejoiced and voiced a “thank you” prayer to God.

We didn’t give up searching for that which was lost.  It had some value, but even more valuable was the picture content holding visual memories for years to come.  This reminds me of a parable that Jesus told his hearers about the lost sheep.  He said, “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.  Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?  And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ (Luke 15:4-6).  Jesus compared this search by God to the salvation that is needed by each individual who turns to Him.  He continues by saying, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent” (Luke 15:7).  In all of this we can conclude that God feels that each person is valuable in God’s sight and has great worth.  When that individual who is lost is finally found, there is much rejoicing.