Lugging Luggage - Martin Wiles

Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins. Acts 3:19 NLT

As I turned the corner and squinted at the gate numbers, I knew I hadn't finished lugging luggage.

My wife and I and another couple were on our way to Nova Scotia, Canada, for mission work. With an hour layover in Chicago, we imagined we’d have time to catch our breath before our last leg of the flight. The point of our arrival, however, was as far as it could possibly be from the terminal of our departure. Somehow, we missed the sign offering shuttle service.

My friend and I slung our carry-on bags over our shoulders and carried our wives’ baggage. But when we arrived at the designated terminal, our gate was at the opposite end of where we entered. I heaved a sigh of relief when I could finally put down the luggage. But no sooner had I done so than I heard, “We are now boarding for gate . . .” Lugging luggage isn’t any fun.

Pentecost had happened. Thousands believed in Jesus as the Messiah. The disciples preached as Jesus had told them to do. Peter had healed a crippled beggar lying by one of the temple gates. A crowd gathered to marvel. Peter saw his chance to invite the people to put down their baggage—sin.

Lugging around sin isn’t enjoyable. It’s heavier than any luggage we’ll ever carry. It causes our shoulders to ache, our feet to burn, and our hands to cringe. More than that, it infects our hearts and ruins our relationship with a God who loves us very much.

All the crowd had to do to obey Peter’s directive was turn from their sins and turn to God. Repentance is the theological term. Turning from one direction and going in another.

The way to quit lugging around the luggage of sin hasn’t changed. Since God doesn’t like ugly, we have to quit being ugly. And with God’s help, we can. Jesus bore our heavy luggage on the cross. When we give it to him and let him carry it, we don’t have to lug it around anymore.

Give your luggage to Christ. He’ll be glad to carry it for you.

Father, thank You for allowing Christ to carry my sins away on the cross. 

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