Vintage Gwen Chapel-Trash Can Redemption

Back when I worked for the local State Farm agent she bought all of her staff Lightning McQueen Auto Visors.  They looked like Lightning's eyes, therefore making your car look like him.  Since the summer was so stinking hot Hunkie used the visor in his truck.  He used those metal office clips and clipped it to the hanger holders to shield the sun from the back and then used the one he had for the front....he was afraid it'd get so hot that the windows would bust out.  Well due to the clips, they tore up the edge of the visor therefore gracing Hunkie's truck with tiny black fuzz. Everywhere. 

 About a month ago, I was on trash duty and opened the trash can to find Lightning at the bottom.  Gasp! was my reaction.  Then I remembered seeing the black fuzz and knew why Lightning was in the trash.

"Just let it go, Jennifer.  It's just a visor.  A cute one though!!

It's not worth stirring up trouble."

{Yes I talk to myself, isn't that normal?}

I walked away.

Then the trash man came.  I was at work {I'm the part time church secretary!} and the boys were at home.  We've made it a habit with Lil' Hunkie to look out the window at the big truck.  So the boys watched one of the trash men empty our can.  He found Lightning....pulled him out of the truck and started yelling at his coworkers to look at the treasure he'd found!  Hunkie said he was so proud!

"But that's not all!" {Hunkie's words when telling me the story!..Hehe so cute!}

Even after moving from our house, but still within view, the trash man held up Lightning to the windshield and had the biggest grin on his face and continued to talk to his coworkers about his new treasure.

Enter a revelation.

How many times do we toss ourselves into the trash can thinking we're not worth anything? But just like the trash man seeing the worth that Lightning still had, God sees and knows our worth.  He would not have paid the price of His Son on the cross for us if He didn't. 

Take the story of Hosea and Gomer.  Hosea, whose name means salvation, was a prophet who God told to marry Gomer, a prostitute.   This account in the bible was a parallel of God's relationship with Israel. 

Hosea obeyed, they had children and everything seemed right.  But Gomer didn't think she was worth a good man or family so she left.

Time goes by.  God tells Hosea to once again act like Him, and go.get.her.

Notes from my Life Application Study Bible, NIV on Hosea 3:2

"Apparently Gomer was on her own for a while.  Needing to support herself, she must have either sold herself into slavery or become the mistress of another man.  In either case, Hosea had to pay to get her back-although the required amount was pitifully small.  Gomer was no longer worth much to anyone except Hosea..."

She was no longer worth anything to anyone except her Redeemer!  

{Hosea paid 6 ounces of silver and about 10 bushels of barley to redeem Gomer.}

Gomer wasn't truly redeemed until there was a ransom or sacrifice paid, regardless of the amount. 

I sacrificed my tendency to hold onto things when I shouldn't when I walked away from Lightning.  And look how happy the trash man was to redeem Lightning!!  I'm so glad he did!

And I'm so thankful God was more than happy to redeem us.  Even when we are at our lowest, God sees value and worth in us, He paid too high a price not to. 

Let's find encouragement, comfort, and peace in God's redemption today.   

Isaiah 43:1 AMP

"But now [in spite of past judgments for Israel's sins], thus says the Lord, He Who created you, O Jacob, and He Who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you [ransomed you by paying a price instead of leaving you captives]; I have called you by your name; you are Mine."

Have a great weekend!!