24 Aug, 2009

Man's love runs deep in search for ring

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A New Zealand man has been dubbed the Lord of the Ring after he searched and found his wedding ring more than a year after it slipped off his finger and sank to the sea floor.

The ring was lost for 16 months in the harbor of the country's capital city, Wellington, before Aleki Taumoepeau found it shining on the sea floor, the DominionPost newspaper reported Thursday.

"The whole top surface of the ring was glowing," Taumoepeau, an ecologist, said.

Taumoepeau had been married for just three months when he lost the wedding ring while conducting an environmental sweep of the harbor.

He roughly marked the spot where the ring had flown from his finger, but was unable to find it despite returning to the area many times.

Taumoepeau's wife offered to buy another ring, but he refused, pledging to find the ring.

But, equipped with new global satellite based coordinates and offering up a quick prayer, he found the ring after an hour's search.

"I couldn't believe that I could see the ring so perfectly," Taumoepeau said.

He said those with him on the boat at the time the ring flew off his finger had likened it to a similar, slow motion shot from

The Lord of the Rings, much of which was filmed in Wellington by local director Peter Jackson.

Story taken from: http://www.reuters.com and photo taken from:http://images.google.com

Luke 15:8-10

"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

What Is the Kingdom of God Like?

Like me, some might think that the man in today's story was a little extreme. I'm not sure I would waste the time during an entire year to search for a wedding ring. I probably would of just bought another one (eventually!).

Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of God is like this man searching for his lost wedding ring.

God pursues us with that same energy and is overjoyed when we come to Him. Often we picture God sitting on His throne not very interested in our affairs.

But Jesus continually paints us another picture. We must pause and reflect on this often in a world that is often very cynical and negative.

God is actually excited that we are in His family. The question is: Are we?

  • Pause and reflect on the fact that we are part of God's Kingdom. We are part of the same family as all the saints mentioned in the Bible. Someday we will be with Moses, Elijah, and Paul and not just read about them.
  • God rejoices over us. Rejoice is defined as "bringing happiness or joy" to someone. Many things bring us happiness and joy but does being in God's Kingdom do it? Start this week (and try and do it everyday this week) by praying to God for a taste of joy for being a child of God.
  • Are their friends and family that you have given up on or thought were lost causes?
  • As school approaches pray that God would renew your strength in praying for those people in your life who don't know Him. Pray that God would give you the persistence to love them this year and the joy in your heart if they come to God in faith.
Comments

Ornament

The Daily Bide is brought to you by a team of writers from Youth for Christ/USA. The writers all have various years of experience in youth ministry but share a common bond in serving Jesus and discovering what it means to abide deeply everyday and to connect God's Story with those around them. A number of the Daily Bide writers have also written portions of our 3Story® resources. You can check out our resources at the 3Story.org website or connect with our writers at 3story@yfc.net. If you have a question or a story you would like to share, please reference the Daily Bide date in your email.

YFC works with young people on campus and in the community in over one hundred countries around the world so that they might have an opportunity to become a follower of Christ and be a part of a local church.