Sunday, April 11, 2010

You Don't Belong

Yesterday, when my husband and I were driving through New Westminster , we passed the city junk yard where a back hoe was crushing and piling scrap metal. Absentmindedly, I gazed at the unattractive pile of twisted rubble.
I saw no reason to take a photo until we passed the back corner of the junk yard.
Something red caught my eye. "Stop, stop!" I cried, scrambling for my camera.
Miraculously , at that very moment the light turned red and I was given the gift of time.
Was it what I thought it was ?

Yes, it was ! Perched on top of the scrap heap remains of long-ago valuables was boy's dream of a 'sit-in' truck.

I wondered at it being doomed for destruction. I could understand the boy-owner outgrowing his toy car .... but surely there were many other little boys whose eyes would have gleamed with delight at the thought of rushing to a pretend blaze in that shiny red Fire Fighter.

Obviously, no one cared enough to find one such little boy, and the 'dream toy' was about to be crushed indiscriminately with the scrap metal. Soon it would be unrecognizable.

I stared at the pretty truck -- it just didn't belong.
If I could have , I would have gone and rescued it. But, even though regret gripped my heart, I knew it was too late!
***

Milena ago, before time on earth began, heaven was a perfectly divine place. There was no stain of sin , no evil intent to lurk in nonexistent darkness.
Angels created for beauty and glory, worshipped and fulfilled God-designed purposes.

Then the unthinkable happened. The highest, most beautiful angel of all by the name of Lucifer, fanned to flame a flicker of pride in his heart. Once inflamed, pride determined its own destruction and took Lucifer and one third of God's angels with it.
God condemned them to everlasting punishment, in the place He created for them --
Hell !
A place of twisted brokenness, darkness and gloom and worthlessness. A place of crushing destruction and torment.

Though Satan, alias Lucifer, and his demons may deserve their punishment, there will be those ending up in the scrap heap of hell who 'do not belong'.

Mankind was not meant to go to hell. God desired every human being ever born to be saved and live in God's Presence -- forever delighted by untold wonders of the New Earth created just for him. Blessed is the man who opens his heart to receive God's free gift.

Sadly, not all do.

Man is so protective of his God-given right to free choice and is so quick to exercise it - to his own hurt.

Some flippantly refuse God's loving invitation, others outgrow their need of Him, others curse Him to His face, others just put off seeking God until it is too late.

Every single person who walked on this earth has come to the day that was his last -- and has faced the eternity he choose. There are only two choices -- heaven or hell.

God says He 'has no pleasure in the death of the wicked'. (Ez.33:11)
Does His heart constrict with regret for the human soul, the one He longed to embrace in His love, tossed onto the scrap heap of hell's fury?

I believe He would so gladly give those who 'do not belong' in hell another chance, if it were only not too late!

"It is appointed unto man once to die, and after that the judgement". (Heb.9:27)

If you know Jesus as your Savior , if your sins are forgiven and you walk daily with your Lord -- you need have no fear of death, but a joyous awaiting of eternity.

But if you do not know Jesus, if you have never confessed your sins and forsaken your sinful ways.... please , my friend, seek God today. He will not turn you away, His heart yearns to change you, inside out, and give you a new life and a new hope.

He never intended hell for you, please - choose God's love revealed in His Son who died for you. The price is paid....but you must accept it. Make God Lord of your heart and soul today. It will be the best thing you ever did !

God's Word tells us all we need to know.
Love it, read it, know it, believe it ! It will lead you in the way that you should go - lead you to God and show you how to avoid the place where
'you do not belong'.
****

5 comments:

ellen b. said...

This is a great object lesson Julie. It's good for us to think of the lost as people who do not belong in hell and need rescue!

Lovella ♥ said...

Julie . .I so appreciated this object lesson.

Marg said...

Women...You see it, you hear it, you feel it, you write it.
I love how you visualize and write.
Thanks.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful teaching tool that little red car became. I just love how God puts things before us that draw our thoughts and hearts towards Him. Thank you for using that to share God's great love for us, and the wonderful gift we all can have by accepting it. Kathy (MGCC)

Anneliese said...

You are a deep thinker and find the most interesting object lessons. I am thankful that we have a God who loves us too much to leave us there and has given us a choice for a way out . .. a purpose in life and for eternity.