Digging Through the Trash...

When I picked up my prescription at the pharmacy a couple of days ago, they asked for my driver's license and then placed it inside a little envelope and stapled the envelope to the prescription bag. When I got home, I took the pill bottle out and threw the bag in the trash. I didn't notice until last night that my driver's license wasn't in my purse. 

So, before church this morning, I started digging through the trash, looking for my missing ID. I looked  through all of the trash cans downstairs because I couldn't remember where I had thrown the prescription bag. Then I pushed up my sleeves and searched through the kitchen trash can. Sadly, I couldn't find it anywhere.

When I got home from church I started pulling out trash bags from the big ol' trash can outside. It was a smelly, yucky mess. I ended up with ketchup all over my hands, food on my shirt, and trash all over the yard. I pulled out every single piece of paper, snack wrapper, and banana peel. 

Finally, I found it. It was literally in the very last bag at the bottom of the big brown trash can. I cleaned up the mess, put all the bags back in the garbage can, and put my license back where it belonged, in my purse.

As I did all of this, I couldn't help but see similarities in what God has done and continues to do for His children. When we are lost, He determines to find us. Even when the hunt is gross and dirty. Even when we continue to run from Him, He looks in place after place. He never stops pursuing us, until we are found. He never gives up on us. He pulls us out of the trash and places right where we belong, with Him.

Today I am grateful for God's willingness to pursue me. For His faithfulness to continue searching until I am found. For His desire to have me close to Him, no matter how long it takes. He is so, so good to me. I am also thankful for the opportunity to dig through the trash today. (Haha, that's not something I usually say!) Sometimes I just really need the reminder that God sees me as valuable enough to go searching for, even if its a dirty, yucky mess!