On Thursday, my niece in the Seattle area posted on her Facebook page that they had lost their little dog, Luna. I have never met Luna, but my heart went out to them. Apparently, my nephew had come to take her with him on a bike ride, couldn’t find her collar, and took her without it. She had, after all, never strayed from him before.
But this time was different, and Luna got away.
If you’ve ever suffered the heartache of a lost pet, you know that it’s very real. No, they are not people, but they are certainly members of our family. My younger sister in Colorado reposted the picture of Luna, asking friends in the Issaquah area to keep an eye out. I, in Florida mind you, reposted the picture of Luna, asking my friends in the Pacific Northwest to keep an eye out if they happened to be in the right area. We prayed, we asked friends to pray, all for one little lost dog.
No, more than that, for a member of my sister’s family.
Bummer was, where she was lost was 20 miles away from my sister’s house. She wasn’t going to be able to get out and look for her until today. On Monday, my niece posted that there had been a Luna sighting by someone who had seen the “missing dog” posters they had put up in the area. Hope was reborn. I was so glad, thinking maybe she was in danger of being eaten by a mountain lion. I don’t even know if there are mountain lions in the area.
Yesterday, my niece went looking for her again. Came home wet and dogless.
Then today, hope was reborn again when they got a call this morning that Luna had been seen in the backyard of someone who had seen the signs. God is good. As soon as she could, my sister headed to the area where Luna had been seen, and took their other dog with her.
Within a couple of hours I received this text from my sister: “Luna has been found!” Three minutes later, my niece chimed in: “My mom just found Luna!”
She was roaming around some neighborhoods and just came running when my sister called. Both of them were hysterically happy to have found each other again.
Even though I had never met her, I shed some tears at Luna’s return.
This reminds me of two Bible verses: “When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice” (John 10:4).
And “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).
When my niece posted that Luna was lost, people everywhere went into action, praying that the God Who Sees would bring her home. Lost though she was, Luna would not go to the first person who spotted her, though his intentions were clearly good. She didn’t know him, and she wouldn’t go. But as soon as she heard my sister’s voice, she came running. She knew her master’s voice, and she loves her, so she came running.
When my sister saw her, I can only imagine the joy that filled her heart. One she loved had been found. There was great rejoicing–not only in her heart and in her household, but for all of us who had been praying for this end.
How much more does God rejoice when one whom He loves returns to Him. There is much rejoicing, as Luke records that Jesus said. And for those of us who have been praying for those who are lost, there is no better news.
Welcome home, Luna!
Thankful today for:
309. kindhearted people
310. Luna’s return
311. hope that turns to joy
Compelled 
“Dogless in Seattle” no more!