“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” Matthew 16:25

Yesterday was going SO well. I had lots to do, one of which was to cut some trees around a house that had gotten out of hand. Since it was at a different location, I loaded up my truck with tools I would need and headed off. After a few hours labor and the joy of a job finally done, I threw my chainsaw in the back of my truck, shut the tailgate and headed home. Once home, I went to reverse the process to unload…only to discover my tailgate was down and my chainsaw was gone!

Doing what anyone would do, I quickly backtracked my way, but I KNEW it would be useless. Anyone who found the saw, case and what all was inside, would have hit pay-dirt. It took a lot of time, shopping and money to gather all that stuff together… now it was gone and in someone else’s hands. My wife couldn’t appreciate my mood, since it was just a tool. While I love that she has that attitude, I was not quick to jump on board. It was like part of ME was in that saw. And while it wasn’t my wallet… it felt like it!

I have had several chainsaws over the years. But a good chainsaw isn’t cheap and a cheap chainsaw isn’t good. Far too many times I had tried to fire up a saw that had been setting, only to give up and put it away. A couple years ago I decided to remedy that problem. So I did research, shopped, bought a good one (on sale) and (over time) added the accessories. It has never let me down. But I had not foreseen THIS happening

A saw is an impersonal object. It didn’t see a chance at freedom and leap from the truck on its own. It never once complained that it didn’t like me, its owner. There was no free will that complained of too much or too little use. It was mine and it did what I expected of it WHEN required. Now it will do the bidding of someone else with NO sense of sorrow or loss. It is a THING! Jesus is GREAT at using THINGS to teach eternal lessons to living SOULS.

Every human being is born under the ownership of God. Being made in His image, we were created for the purpose of living with, and serving HIM in continual fellowship and love. But for love and service to really WORK, God’s creation HAD to have free will. Unfortunately, with so many choices, the decision to WORK WITH our creator took a back seat to doing our own thing. We CHOOSE lostness!

The Lenten season shows us the work, time and cost that Jesus willingly paid to get you and me back into right relationship with Him. We didn’t know the cost to Himself, nor did we ask Him to rescue us. His love was enough. When He finds me in my dark place, (He is ALWAYS searching) He extends His hand and bids me to come home. But the choice is always mine.

If I have THIS much sorrow over a lost saw… imagine the sorrow God has over a lost SON? I am SO glad I am His son and not a saw! You?