All is Not Lost

I asked my son if I could go to the Chicago Federal Courthouse in jeans to watch his National Appellate Advocacy Contest next week.
"You can wear jeans," he said, "But everyone else will be in a suit."

Ah.

So, I ransacked my closet. Being a mother, an artist, a writer, a runner, a kayaker, a skier, I have many outfits. I have not one suit. Not one business type wear. I have dresses, but Chicago is almost in the Arctic circle. I cannot wear a dress, lest my knees freeze-dry.
I tried on an outfit for Arvo and asked him if it would qualify as business wear.

No.

So, I headed off to the mall to see if I could find a cheap suit since I may need one some day anyway, like when I get buried, in case it is an open casket.

I spent three hours searching. I bought a suit that fit (sort of) and was too expensive. My feet ached, my head ached, and as I walked away from one store, I realized something was missing.
My purse! My purse was missing!
In horror, I ran back to the dressing room, barreling over several little old ladies.

I raced into the room where I had tried on the 4,000th suit that didn't fit and was too expensive anyway. No purse!!!!!
I raced out, careened around the corner to the cashier, and there was my purse!
"My purse!" I cried in relief.
"This woman returned it," said the cashier, pointing to a woman in line. I hugged the woman. I told her, "God bless you for your honesty!" I wanted to bow before her.

I had been feeling pretty low about all the mess going on in the world. The trouble with becoming increasingly aware and involved in politics and current events is that you realize the world is going to Hell in a hand basket. It is easy to become cynical, and lose hope for any kind of future for my as yet unconceived grandchildren. But that incident gave me hope. There are lovely, honest, upright, kind people left. All is not lost. Morality has not completely ditched our planet. Besides that, it is Good Friday today, and the message of this weekend more than any other reminds me that tremendous good can arise from tremendous bad.

God promises that we are never alone. He always leaves a Remnant- like minded friends who long for Him and His righteousness, and resist the pull to Evil. The world will end. The Bible tells us it will, and it will get mighty ugly for some time. But in the end, He wins. And those of us hanging on His coattails win. The Cross with the innocent Savior dying is a wrenching image, but all is not lost! He returns alive! And while we wait for Him to come again and reclaim His people, He has left us His Holy Spirit to guide, to comfort, and to remind us: Don't give up. All is not lost.

In desperation, I had bought the suit that was too expensive but it was all I could find. But right after the lady saved my purse, I found a suit that fit, was 50% off, and with my $10 off coupon, was less than a dinner out. I win, I laughed, as I returned the other, expensive suit!

Genesis 45:7 (NIV)
But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.


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