A Repost From June (if I may)

{Since I have discovered this thing called facebook (what was that other thing called-uhhhhhhh MYPLACE? lol), I thought I would repost something that I first posted in June and link back to it. Enjoy! }

"The Case of the Runaway Grocery Cart"

One day, I was coming back from the bank and was about to turn the corner at McCloy and Hyatt when the glimmer of something shiny in the Sav-A-Lot parking lot caught my eye. It was a grocery cart. Apparently, someone did not park it where they were suppose to and it was rolling quickly down the hill. As I turned the corner it was apparent that nothing was going to stop this cart-not even the repulsive and disgusting SAV-A-LOT SPEED BUMP. Designed exclusively to stop runaway buggies and land you in the chiropractor's office across the street (I wondered why they moved there & now it all makes sense), it also serves as a speed bump. But I digress. As the cart approached the BUMP, one of the back wheels bobbled, causing it to turn ever so slightly. That slight turn, along with the speed that it had picked up, allowed it to overcome and "jump" the bump! A small truck turning into the parking lot, quickly veered to the left to avoid the runaway cart, which was now fast approaching N Hyatt Street. It entered Hyatt Street, going about half way across it before one of the back wheels bobbled again and it abruptly turned northbound-down Hyatt Street-into oncoming traffic. Because I was about to turn into the parking lot and, because there was no traffic behind me, I sat and laughed. I watched the cart roll down to the next intersecting street (the name escapes me). The cart turns onto that street, makes a U-turn and stops-the journey ending as the runaway cart comes to rest next to the curb.


How many times have our lives mirrored the runaway cart? Or a slumbering missionary?? We somehow, drift away from where we are suppose to be and before we know it, we're headed downhill. As a Child of God, any time we live in rebellion and disobedience to the Truth the Lord has brought to life in our hearts, we are headed down. Take for instance, the life of Jonah as he fled "from the presence of the Lord" (Jonah 1:3). The Bible says he "went down to Joppa", found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare and "went down" into it... Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea. The Bible goes on to say that Jonah had gone "down" into the lowest parts of the ship and laid "down" and was fast asleep (Jonah 1:5). His amazing physical ability to sleep in the face of dire circumstances directly parallels his spiritual condition at the time as well. And sadly, the life of Jonah exhibited in Chapter 1 of Jonah, and the runaway cart is something that is eerily too familiar in our churches today.

From the pulpit to the pew, many of us are either so full of excuses or don't even suspect anything, God's work goes undone. Our lives are like the cart that travels at the mercy of the laws of physics. Thankfully, God does allow U-Turns, even from the belly of a great fish! The second time the Lord spoke to Jonah, the only running done was to Nineveh, traveling a three-days journey in the first day! He delivered an eight-word message,"Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown." The number 8 is significant in scripture in that it signifies a new beginning. Jonah made use of his "u-turn". The runaway cart managed to make it's way back to the hill (with some help-unless Mr. C is using it). And if we have been in a "down" cycle and out of His will, may we turn to back to Christ and make ourselves ready for the mission He has for us.