Driving along the highway lends itself to many a sight in the big city. I am sure we can all relate to one all too familiar sight on any given day – the lonely shopping cart.
We all know how they got there – someone pushed them to their final destination, grabbed their stuff, and walked away. The poor shopping cart was left alone until it was either rescued, run over, used as a temporary home, or used as another carrying device for bags of tin cans. Either way, it was displaced.
Ever time I see one, my mind thinks back to the stories in the Bible about something or someone lost. Luke 15:1-7 records the story about the lost sheep. Luke 15:8-10 records the story of the lost coin, and Luke 15:12:32 records the story of the lost son.
What’s the difference between us and shopping carts? Shopping carts are led away by someone else. We too can be led by someone else, but most of the time, if not every time, we make a conscious choice to either walk away or drift away. Before long, we find ourselves down the road away from all we know, those we love, and even more serious, apart from our heavenly father. In other words, we’re far from our home base.
Just like a store manager rejoices when an employee retrieves all the lost shopping carts, God rejoices when we find our way back to him through repentance of our sins. Luke 15:7 says, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”
My footnote says, “God’s joy over the sinner’s repentance is set to stark contrast to the attitude of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. Those who think they are righteous (such as the Pharisees and the teachers of the law) and feel no need to repent.”
Are you a lonely shopping cart looking for your way back home? The Father welcomes you back with open arms today. Don’t wait any longer.
Standing on the promises,
Jeanette
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