In my town, recycling is picked up every Wednesday morning. My job is to have the empty containers rinsed and out to the curb by 6:00 am. The containers I have emptied have no real value to me anymore. Sometime during the morning the bin is emptied of everything, and then I begin accumulating items for the next week. The payment I get for all of this is the satisfaction that I am helping the environment by recycling.
Recently I was in an area of the country
that had lots of buildings with big signs that said Redemption Center. I confess at first, I thought there was some
spiritual affiliation to the name. However, I learned Redemption Centers are
small businesses that accept empty
containers for redemption, which require sorting to obtain their refund value. These empty containers are accepted from the public, and then their refund value is paid.
How blessed we are that Jesus accepts us as
“empty containers.” Notice above that the containers are rinsed
and not washed. There may be some
residue in them from the past, but they don’t have to be perfectly cleaned to
begin moving toward redemption. Jesus
truly is the only One that can fill our void. Other attempts at filling may last for a
while, but until we fill our emptiness with Him, we will never be satisfied.“This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:22b-24
Empty containers “from the public” (that’s you and me) are accepted regardless of
their past, and because Jesus cares about their future, both now and in
eternity. No one is ever too far from
His reach. Neither is the person you
consider “least likely to be saved.” In His eyes we are all the same… in need
of a Savior. You are saved by grace,
which is undeserved favor, through faith.
“Come
to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble
in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is
light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Our “refund
value,” the amazing love He lavishes on us, is the ultimate sacrifice Jesus
made to save us and give us the promise of Eternal Life. There is no sorting through to obtain your
refund value. Jesus
paid the price once for all and in “full.” Nothing you can do will earn redemption
because it has already been accomplished on the cross.
“In
Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in
accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” Ephesians 1:7
In Redemption Centers, the owners determine
the type of empty beverage containers to be accepted. Not so with Jesus. He desires for us all to come to Him. Have you? Are you in need of a Savior who already knows
everything you have ever done? Will you empty
yourself of you and receive His love and forgiveness? There will be applause in Heaven as you come!
Lord,
may we never be so full of us that there is no room for you. Thank you for accepting us when we come to
you.
Donna Bowles
Wonderful analogy! My recycling truck comes every two weeks. If I had to wait two weeks for God to forgive me for all my stuff, I would be as heavy and weighted down as my recycling bin that I drag to the curb.
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