The other day I was at one of my favorite stores, Marshall’s. We happened to be looking for an outfit for family picture day for my middle, which is a whole other issue that deserves a blog post all on its own…but that’s for another day.
Anyway, I wandered over to the Christmas section and saw this super cute vintage pink truck with a Christmas tree in the back. It was absolutely perfect for my daughters’ upstairs hang out room. They have this color pink as part of their decór… including a pink couch. (I think sometimes that space upstairs is more for me than for them since I absolutely love PINK and would decorate the whole house this way but the Hubby says No. 😕) Anyway, back to the truck. I loved it. I wanted it. But yet I didn’t get it. We are trying to be very careful with our budget right now and so I knew it wasn’t exactly what I needed to do at that moment.
But then came the next day. I looked over our budget and saw that I had some extra wiggle room and really wanted that pink truck. So I went back. Literally, not even 24 hours…but they were gone. I searched high and low because after all, surely they didn’t sell both trucks in less than 24 hours. But no luck. I even had the workers help me look because stores like that people move things around but in the end they were gone. They were both sold. And yes, after many friends’ advices …at stores like Marshall’s you buy now and then contemplate and then return if necessary later. I know now. 🤪Haha.
I still wanted that pink truck so I posted it on Facebook just in case some of my friends happen to be going to Marshall’s, T.J.Maxx, or anywhere else that would have this pink truck. I had several responses from my friends saying they would keep an eye out. I also had several that responded with pictures from other places that were not quite the same but similar.
And this is where the lesson comes in. I missed out on that pink truck. It was right before me but yet I walked away. How many times have we seen the Lord handing something to us and yet we still walk away. There’s so many lost people that have been handed “the pink truck”…the True Gospel… yet they walk away. Some will return and find that “pink truck” but others will be frantically searching and asking people where to find the “pink truck” and totally miss it. It will be too late.
And then what about all of the other posts that people shared of “other” pink trucks? They were not the same. They were smaller. Some were not even pink trucks but rather pink cars. That’s just like us. We try to “substitute” the TRUE Gospel with other things. Or maybe we know The Gospel but yet we try to fill our lives with these “other” pink trucks/cars. …with other things. Maybe we try to fill our lives with success, popularity, busyness, even other stuff like laziness, gossip, alcohol, sexual sin, and so on.
All of this to say is that as you think back on your life, will you see missed opportunities? Opportunities that you should have taken? Opportunities that you should have shared the Gospel? Opportunities that someone shared the Gospel to you but you missed it? Are you substituting for “other” things? Other “pink trucks”?
Today, I want you to be looking for those original pink trucks. Not just the one I want (although if you see one send it my way…I’ll pay you back. LOL) … but seriously. What opportunities is the Lord giving to you that you are missing out on? When you walk away from those opportunities it could be gone forever. And what are you substituting in your life? What is it that you missed out on but are now trying to fill it with other “pink trucks/cars”. … other things that just aren’t the same as what God has for you?
Today, is the day. Seek Him FIRST (Matthew 6:33). Know that what He offers is far better than anything else this world has to offer (1 John 3:16-17). Stop trying to substitute things of this world for things God has offered you. This world is not our home. Things we hold onto will fade away. Even that super cute pink truck will not last…but God (and His Word) endures forever!!
in joyful pursuit 