We live in a world today where everything is disposable. We have disposable plates and silverware to make after meal clean-up a breeze. We have disposable cameras, disposable tissues, and even disposable razors. While the world continues to change and culture evolves each year, some advances are good while other are more regrettable. We have disposable marriages, disposable families, and even babies are disposable in today’s world.
Can I just stop for one second and say how thankful I am that God is not bound by culture! The God who we serve does not look at a marriage and see the same thing that culture tells us to see. Our God does not look at a family that is struggling and say “there is no hope” like so many would be tempted to say in their thoughts if not out loud. And our God certainly does not look at an unborn child in the careless way that so many in society tell us is normal. Even a step further than that, God does not look at YOU the same way others may see you or the way you might even see yourself.
With God, there is no such thing as a disposable person.
In the Gospel according to Luke, one of the most uplifting and encouraging chapters in the entire Bible can be found. In Luke chapter 15 Jesus tells several different parables all to convey the same truth – everyone matters to God! In the beginning of the chapter Jesus gives the picture of the shepherd who had one hundred sheep but one sheep got lost so the shepherd left the ninety-nine sheep to go and rescue the one lost sheep. The chapter closes off with the beautiful story of the prodigal son who returns home to his father after living a life of sin and experiences true forgiveness.
While all of these stories are incredible pictures of God’s love for us and the value that every person has in the eyes of God, there is one verse in the middle of these stories that is so incredibly powerful. Luke 15:10 reads: “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”
Stop for just one second and think about this verse. Stop and think back to the day that you realized that you were a sinner. Perhaps you were sitting in a church service on a Sunday morning, or maybe you were sitting in the quietness of your bedroom with no noise or distractions to distract you from the awful truth that without Jesus you would die and go to Hell. I know that the Bible does not fill in all of the gaps with this one verse, but imagine as the Holy Spirit begins to work on your heart your need for a Savior an angel looks over the banisters of heaven and proclaims “Look! Look over there! There is someone that is about to accept Jesus’s payment for their sin!” As you bow your head to pray all of heaven awaits silently in anticipation. And in that moment when you finally accept Christ’s free gift of salvation all of heaven erupts in celebration! There is cheering and laughter…and God smiles – all for you.
You see, God loves you. I know that’s a simple truth, but it is also a truth that can so quickly be forgotte
n. God loves you more that you can even comprehend. And even on those days when you feel that the whole world has forgotten you, perhaps someone has treated you like a disposable person like what was mentioned earlier, even on those days…God loves YOU. And if you have accepted Christ you can know that on that one day, all of heaven stopped and there was joy all because of you.