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The Gospel of MoMo
Momo was lost.
Somewhere in the Dean estate's maze of laundry and children's
toys, MoMo was loose. Yes, MoMo, Georgia's little hamster had
escaped the plastic Alcatraz of tubing and cedar shaving.
Where was he? Where did he go? Would he be alright?
Was he still in the house? What was he eating? Was he
still alive? Those were the questions that plagued the Dean
family just two weeks ago.
Clearly, no one was
more distraught than little Georgia. After all, MoMo was her
hamster. She loved holding him and watching him play in the
"Sphere of Fun." She took great pains in keeping his cage
cleaned and making sure he had food and water. She really
did love him. Now, her heart feared for his safety.
Would she ever find him again? Would he become a feral
hamster? Would his "homeless" days scar him emotionally?
Would he even want to come back home to his cage in Georgia's
room? There were too many questions. There was only
one thing to do. Look for him.
Hudson, Katherine,
Georgia, Beth, and Johnny began the search. They searched
closets. They searched drawers and cabinets. They
called. They pleaded. They prayed. They tore the
house inside out looking for MoMo.
You may have
guessed that they finally found him. The fear is gone.
MoMo is home and safe. MoMo is back to his regular self, chewing
or dried corn and burrowing under a blanket of wood chips.
(I won't waste precious newsletter space to tell you the details
of his capture, but it did involve substantial quantities of duct
tape and hamster proof leather gloves!)
As I have recounted
this experience, I began to realize that MoMo's saga is a
reflection of the gospel. In God's story, we are MoMo.
We have gotten lost. When we "escape" from God's plan for
our lives, we find ourselves hiding in the closets of the world,
making our homes among the dirty laundry of others. We seek
the shadows and play at night. We no longer experience the
security and adoration of our "owner". We are lost.
Yet, lost is not
the last word. You see, God, like Georgia and the rest of
the Dean clan, works day and night to find us. God calls us.
God searches for us. God, like Georgia, has called in the
troops to come look for us. God will not stop until we are
rescued. God will not stop until we are found.
Maybe today you are
lost. My hope and prayer is that you will be found.
Maybe today you are searching with God to find a special MoMo in
your life. My hope and prayer is that your loved one is
found by God. Who knows, you just might be the duct tape
that brings them home. Let us pray for the lost. Let
us search for the lost. Let Hartford First United Methodist
Church be a church for those who were lost, but now are found.
Just like the great hymn, Amazing Grace, I "once was lost, but now
am found." I have found a home in ministry here in the
Hartford First United Methodist Church. I hope you do too.
Pastor Jack
09/01/2006 |
THOUGHT FROM THE HEART