June 11th, 2026
The Upward Look, by Jon Forrest
They Keep Moving
Mary Brumbaugh’s husband, an airline pilot, often had difficulty locating items around the house. One day he asked Mary, where the saltshaker was. Annoyed, she responded, "How on earth can you find Detroit at night in a blizzard, but you can’t find the saltshaker in your own kitchen?"
"Well, darling," he replied, "they don’t move Detroit!"
In the 15th chapter of Luke, Jesus lines up three parables in response to criticisms by the religious leaders about his habit of welcoming and even eating with sinners. Each parable has to do with something lost and the joy of its owner finding it. First he tells of the shepherd who lost a lamb and left the other 99 behind so that he could locate the lost one. The second is about a woman who had 10 coins, but misplaced one. She cleaned every nook and cranny of her house until the missing coin was found. The third parable is about a rebellious son who demanded his inheritance ahead of time so he could enjoy it. After blowing it all on a wild lifestyle he found himself destitute and lost. When he was at his lowest point he decided to return to his father’s house and offer himself as a slave. Much to his surprise, the father ran to him and welcomed him home with a big party in his honor. He was so happy to have his insubordinate son home that he completely forgave him for his rebellion. But, the son he received was not the same one who had left. He was humble and repentant.
Notice that each of the parables ends in rejoicing. Each missing treasure is lost in a different way. The lamb carelessly wanders away; the coin disappears through neglect of its owner; while the son is lost because of rebellion. But still, each one equally finds rejoicing when the relocation occurs.
People are like the missing treasures. Some of us get careless about our journey and are easily sidetracked losing our way. Others of us are neglected by our spiritual guides and simply disappear. But many of us rebel against God and against the plan Jesus has for our lives. We willfully turn our backs on God and run away. Like the pilot’s saltshaker, we just keep moving around.
God is seeking those who are lost no matter the reason for disappearance. He wants everything that belongs to him to be back in his presence. When we come back, there is awesome rejoicing in heaven and in heaven’s family. Because we move so much, God gives us shepherds and fellow disciples to keep track of us. He does not want us to be lost, whether by distraction, by neglect or by rebellion.
When someone is found and renewed to a right relationship with Jesus Christ, we should always rejoice with heaven over the return. We have a tendency to move around too. We all need to be welcomed whenever we come back.
This Sunday’s message will come from this amazing chapter as we look, not so much at the lost or prodigal son, but more at the amazing loving Father who receives his son back. Sunday is Fathers Day and we will encourage Dad’s to follow the amazing example of the loving Father in the parable. This is another segment of our BUT GOD series. It will be titled, “But Dad!” We will honor Dad’s with gifts and a Mexican Stack dinner provided by the ladies of the church. Plan to come and celebrate our earthly and heavenly Dads this Sunday.
Desperately trying to stand still,
Jon
They Keep Moving
Mary Brumbaugh’s husband, an airline pilot, often had difficulty locating items around the house. One day he asked Mary, where the saltshaker was. Annoyed, she responded, "How on earth can you find Detroit at night in a blizzard, but you can’t find the saltshaker in your own kitchen?"
"Well, darling," he replied, "they don’t move Detroit!"
In the 15th chapter of Luke, Jesus lines up three parables in response to criticisms by the religious leaders about his habit of welcoming and even eating with sinners. Each parable has to do with something lost and the joy of its owner finding it. First he tells of the shepherd who lost a lamb and left the other 99 behind so that he could locate the lost one. The second is about a woman who had 10 coins, but misplaced one. She cleaned every nook and cranny of her house until the missing coin was found. The third parable is about a rebellious son who demanded his inheritance ahead of time so he could enjoy it. After blowing it all on a wild lifestyle he found himself destitute and lost. When he was at his lowest point he decided to return to his father’s house and offer himself as a slave. Much to his surprise, the father ran to him and welcomed him home with a big party in his honor. He was so happy to have his insubordinate son home that he completely forgave him for his rebellion. But, the son he received was not the same one who had left. He was humble and repentant.
Notice that each of the parables ends in rejoicing. Each missing treasure is lost in a different way. The lamb carelessly wanders away; the coin disappears through neglect of its owner; while the son is lost because of rebellion. But still, each one equally finds rejoicing when the relocation occurs.
People are like the missing treasures. Some of us get careless about our journey and are easily sidetracked losing our way. Others of us are neglected by our spiritual guides and simply disappear. But many of us rebel against God and against the plan Jesus has for our lives. We willfully turn our backs on God and run away. Like the pilot’s saltshaker, we just keep moving around.
God is seeking those who are lost no matter the reason for disappearance. He wants everything that belongs to him to be back in his presence. When we come back, there is awesome rejoicing in heaven and in heaven’s family. Because we move so much, God gives us shepherds and fellow disciples to keep track of us. He does not want us to be lost, whether by distraction, by neglect or by rebellion.
When someone is found and renewed to a right relationship with Jesus Christ, we should always rejoice with heaven over the return. We have a tendency to move around too. We all need to be welcomed whenever we come back.
This Sunday’s message will come from this amazing chapter as we look, not so much at the lost or prodigal son, but more at the amazing loving Father who receives his son back. Sunday is Fathers Day and we will encourage Dad’s to follow the amazing example of the loving Father in the parable. This is another segment of our BUT GOD series. It will be titled, “But Dad!” We will honor Dad’s with gifts and a Mexican Stack dinner provided by the ladies of the church. Plan to come and celebrate our earthly and heavenly Dads this Sunday.
Desperately trying to stand still,
Jon
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