Jesus the storyteller: Seek, seek, seek ... - 5 April 2024

I was a toddler when my parents bought my brother and I a CD of Soekie and the Radikids. Oh, I loved that CD. One of the best songs on the album is called “Lukas 15” (Luke 15). Because of this catchy song, I remember the story about the lost coin, for as long as I can remember.

“In Luke 15, I read about a woman and I would like to remember this story …” the song begins. And later the refrain goes, “And the woman searched. Search, search, search. Under the table. Search, search, search …” (Translated freely.)

The song goes on like this until the woman finds her coin with the help of a lamp. She called the neighbours, celebrated and danced wherever she looked (even in the drawer! Ha!).

What a beautiful, short story with impact.

In Luke 15:10, Jesus explains the meaning of the parable: “I tell you: The angels of God are happy for every sinner who turns his life to God and starts to do what He wants.”

It is wonderful to know that God never gives up – that he will always keep searching for us, his beloved children, when we stray. This is because we are valuable to him. We are important to him and that is why he will take the time and effort to search for us.

Yet, when I think about the story of the woman who kept searching so relentlessly, I cannot help but also think about how, sometimes, I can search for things. I am not talking about things I lose. I am talking about materialistic things and things that I would like to have. It can be anything – books, clothes, shoes, household goods. You name it.

Once I have convinced myself of why I must have the specific thing, I can start looking quite determinedly. I can search and search, Google and go to stores, research and look for special offers until I finally find the item and purchase it.

What is my point? My point is that I realised that I quite easily spend a lot of time looking for earthly things (and yes, that too has its time and place). But how often do I make an effort to search for God? To seek his will for my life? To ask and listen to what he actually wants to tell me?

The irony is that I know when I “seek” God more often, it is much more satisfying and fulfilling than all the other materialistic things that I so often seek, seek, seek.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for never stopping looking for us. Help me to also continue to seek you every day, no matter where I am. Amen