LightGrams
March 9, 2017
Volume 21, Number 9
Like most others I know, there has never been a time in my adult life when I didn’t own a car. Some have been ugly and barely operable, but I’ve always had a ride. But when I read the story from Brooklyn this morning, I understand why some people don’t own a car: they can’t afford to park!
A TV news station in New York ran the story earlier this week about a parking spot that was being offered for $300,000. The location of the garage is Park Slope, where homes often sell for $1 million and up. The last parking spot sold in this garage went for $280,000. Long-time residents fondly remember the day (30 years ago) when a space could be purchased for $29,000.
Parking meters were once common in the town in which I live. No more. I cringe when I’m asked to pay $5 to park for a sporting event. 20 years ago I considered filing a charge of robbery when a garage in Philadelphia asked $10 to park my car. Do people really choose to live where parking spaces sell for more than twice the median home value in Tennessee (according to Zillow.com)?!
Maybe this should prompt us to consider the price of “parking” our lives in this world. What will it cost me to settle in?
1 Peter 2:11 makes this appeal: “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.” For Peter to refer to Christians as “sojourners and pilgrims” was a reminder that this world is not to be viewed as our ultimate destination. Don’t fall in love with sinful things, he urged, for your journey has not yet ended.
Hebrews 11 lists several who viewed themselves as sojourners. Abraham, for example, left the comforts of his home in Ur to dwell as a nomad for the rest of his life (Hebrews 11:9). Others mentioned in that chapter “confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).
Why did they view their lives in that way? “For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland … they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country” (Hebrews 11:14,15). This world doesn’t satisfy their deepest desires.
John’s warning is still needed: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. … the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15,17).
No, I choose not to park my heart in this world. The cost of parking is too high.
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2017, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “Tim@GraceMine.org” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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