When our oldest grandchildren were small, we bought a little wooden cart and a pony named Sally. Ron would gather the bridle and harness, hook Sally to the cart, nestle the little ones next to him, and off they would trot down the road. Clip clop. Clip clop. Squeals of delight quickly interrupted the tunes of the songbirds perched high in the treetops. Seeing the smile on my man’s face and listening to those joyful squeals made my heart sing.
It would have been a different sight if Ron had somehow harnessed Sally BEHIND the cart. Surely, he would have to coax her to push the cart. “Come on, Sally, you can do it. Push!” However, even the best ponies and horses don’t like to push. They may absentmindedly lean against a fence post while they’re grazing. They might roll in the dirt after a bath. They might even flip a latch with their nose to escape their stall. But when it comes to carts, they pull; they don’t push. One should never get their cart before their horse.
That is precisely what I did when declaring my favorite chapter in the Bible. For years, if you asked, I would have said it was Romans 12. (Yes, I know every word of Scripture is profitable and beneficial, but a few passages reach out and grab us, don’t they?) Back then, I viewed that chapter as a laundry list of things I should be doing: hate evil, meet needs, speak blessings, get along, be humble, be a friend, and care for your enemies.
Today, I still love Romans 12, but I’ve come to see the importance of letting Luke 15 lead the way. In Luke 15, Jesus tells three parables: The Lost Lamb, The Lost Coin, and The Lost Son. The Shepherd left the 99 and went after the one lamb. The Woman swept the house clean until she found her lost coin. Best of all, the Father watched and waited patiently for the rebellious son to return home. The Shepherd, the Woman, and the Father all represent God’s passion and love for those who have lost their way. The lessons in these parables teach what I had missed for so long – the overwhelming, unchangeable, and abiding love of God, not just for mankind, but for me!
Some can’t accept God’s love because their focus has been misplaced. They’ve leaned on the wrong things and absentmindedly grazed with their noses to the ground for so long that they’ve wandered away from the Shepherd. They haven’t yet learned to keep their eyes on Him and their ears tuned to His voice. Yet, Jesus STILL pursues the wanderers.
Others, whose souls have been cleansed, roll haphazardly into the dirt, hiding their beauty beneath life’s chaos and distractions. Yet, the Holy Spirit STILL searches for hidden hearts so He can sweep away the clutter.
Then, some purposefully flip the latch on their godly lives to escape and willfully pursue selfish desires. Soon, they become overwhelmed with a hunger and thirst for comfort. Yet, God STILL runs to meet them with open arms.
God’s love pursues, searches, and runs to meet you and me. I’m glad because I’ve been the sheep, the coin, and the son. Every time, God’s love came to my rescue.
So, why put Luke 15 ahead of Romans 12? Placing good works ahead of God’s love is like putting the cart before the horse. When we push ourselves to hate evil, meet needs, speak blessings, get along, be humble, be a friend, and care for our enemies merely because it’s the right thing to do, we look like Pharisees. We trade God’s enticing love, grace, and forgiveness for duty. However, when we delight in the warmth of God’s pursuing love, feel the fresh air of the Spirit, and happily clip-clop along in the steps of Jesus, we put a smile on God’s face and ours. His smile invites us to sing and celebrate being loved. Our songs of delight beckon those who might be singing a different kind of song.
Today is a great day to accept the love God has for you. May that love motivate us all toward good works. Then, let’s not forget to smile and celebrate all He has done for us. And, for goodness’ sake, let’s not put our cart in front of our horse.
“So the shepherd left the ninety-nine lambs out in the open field and searched in the wilderness for that one lost lamb. He didn’t stop until he finally found it. With exuberant joy, [the shepherd] raised [the lamb] up, placed it on his shoulders, and carried it back with cheerful delight! Returning home, he called all his friends and neighbors together and said, ‘Let’s have a party! Come and celebrate with me the return of my lost lamb. It wandered away, but I found it and brought it home.’” (Luke 15:4b-6 TPT)
“There once was a woman who had ten valuable silver coins. When she lost one of them, she swept her entire house, diligently searching every nook and cranny for that one lost coin. When she finally found it, she gathered all her friends and neighbors for a celebration, telling them, ‘Come and celebrate with me! I had lost my precious silver coin, but now I’ve found it.’” (Luke 15:8-9 TPT)
“So the young son set off for home. From a long distance away, his father saw him coming, dressed as a beggar, and great compassion swelled up in his heart for his son who was returning home. The father raced out to meet him, swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly, and kissed him over and over with tender love. Then the son said, ‘Father, I was wrong. I have sinned against you. I could never deserve to be called your son. Just let me be—’ The father interrupted and said, ‘Son, you’re home now!’ Turning to his servants, the father said, ‘Quick, bring me the best robe, my very own robe, and I will place it on his shoulders. Bring the ring, the seal of sonship, and I will put it on his finger. And bring out the best shoes you can find for my son. Let’s prepare a great feast and celebrate. For my beloved son was once dead, but now he’s alive! Once he was lost, but now he is found!’ And everyone celebrated with overflowing joy.” (Luke 15:20-24 TPT)
