Soda Pop Cans
Mary is one of the special people God blessed with an over-abundance of spontaneity. This woman tore out all of her kitchen cabinets when her husband was gone for the weekend and surprised him with the words, “Guess what we need?”
She is a woman who will push the Emergency Button on a department store elevator to see what happens when the car stops between floors, not to mention wanting to know what the Emergency Alarm sounds like when the elevator stops.
Few of us were alarmed when she announced she was going to buy a summer cottage in Michigan. Her husband, Chris, assured us if we give it time, this idea would eventually pass as others have, or turn into another one involving all of us in some way, shape, or form.
Little did he realize within two years of her declaring her desire to have a summer cottage on a lake, he would be making his permanent residence on Wolfe Lake, Michigan. And yes, we all ended up spending a few weekends helping them move from their five bedroom home in Ohio to their two bedroom cottage, with their four kids, a dog, and a cat!
That’s just Mary. We all know it and we all accept her.
I will be the first to admit we are blessed to have close friends living on a lake within a few hours driving time. We have spent countless weekends visiting them, playing on the lake, and just plain relaxing. We enjoy each other’s company, even while waiting to hear Mary’s latest scheme or inspiration to make all our lives more interesting.
We have adopted a few rules while going to the lake. Of course, the children cannot be near the water without at least one adult with them, and the adult (my wife reminds me) cannot be sleeping in the hammock. The children cannot go on the boat without wearing a safety vest. And, remember to keep the Ohio and Michigan soda pop cans separate for recycling, as Michigan cans are redeemable for their deposit.
This leads me to a concept I never really had time to ponder until I found myself lounging casually in a hammock last summer, as if there is any other way to lounge in a hammock. What does it actually mean to redeem a soda pop can and how does that apply to Biblical principles? I know this is a stretch, but we are talking about competitive napping under a shade tree next to a quiet lake… perfect for this type of pondering.
First, with a soda pop can, when we redeem the can for the deposit made, we return the can to the previous owner. What does redemption mean when we place ourselves in the position of the soda pop can?
When we turn to Galatians 4:4-5, we find the subject of full redemption defined with, “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights [as the children of God].” This tells of our Lord’s intentions to send His Son to redeem us so we would receive full rights as God’s children.
This is made possible only as part of God’s plan. This is further explained in Colossians 1:13-14, “For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in Whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” This plan is foretold in Isaiah 60:16, which ends in, “…Then you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One…”
Because of the disobedience of Adam in the Garden of Eden, man has been under the curse of sin and separate from God, our Creator. He provided the Law through Moses, yet this only proved we could never obtain the perfect state of holiness required to be with God. Sin is evident in our lives, whether it is just a white lie or a bit of anger, yet we can be redeemed in spite of ourselves through Jesus Christ.
Just as the soda pop can is returned to the original owner, we are returned to our original Owner, our Creator, by becoming His children through Jesus Christ.
Ah… the benefits of napping.
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Glenn Sasscer
www.glennsasscer.com
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