I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken…begging bread. Psalm 37:25

If we believe that we can have a relationship with God and can be temples of His Holy Spirit like the Bible says (1 Cor 6:19), then — Where can we go without Him?  Some time ago, prior to pandemic mask wearing, even during my grocery- shopping duties at the local Market Basket, lo and behold, He was obviously on site. In our message today, may we share a couple of situations as evidence to prove that my shopping experience was not mine alone.

Picture my grocery basket partially full as I’m moving along one of the main aisles.  Heading toward me is a woman I recognize because I sold her a home a number of years ago.  We stopped to cordially greet, and then she said, “Did you hear what just happened to me.?”  “No”, I said.  Then she told me she was recently on vacation in Florida and blacked out with a blood clot on her brain.  She was hospitalized and almost died.  She felt “lucky” to be alive.

At first, all I could say was…WOW.  The Spirit of God, however, responded beautifully and inspired seeding these scriptural truths with her through me:  I empathized with her in the joy and excitement of another chance, and how her close encounter must have helped her to value life more clearly. What a blessing to get a second prospect to live, and the glaring opportunity to be graciously thankful and to get right with her Creator.  This time not in a religious, philosophical, or superstitous way — but His way!  Being “lucky” may be a handy description, but finger crossing was man-made.  Repenting of her sins and getting right before the One who she is sure to meet for real some day (and died on a cross) was God’s idea or His good news.  A wholesome hug and we departed.

After this first situation, I moved to an inner aisle and overheard the end of a conversation between an employee of the Market Basket and a customer.  The employee said, “You know what “they” say, you’re damned if you do, and damned if you don’t”.  As I walked by, what seemed to be an innocent cliché, riled my inner man to a point of alarm. I actually went around the next aisle and returned to share with these guys what was bubbling inside me. Unfortunately, the two gentlemen were gone and I was too late. However, my inner stewing kept on.

The cashier got to hear what brewed in me and I pray you’ll catch it here too.  I shared with her what I heard and proceeded to identify who the “they” are who say such things.  They are the nay-sayers, the doom and gloomers, or the crowd majoring in hopelessness.  I asked her if she ever wanted to be influenced or counseled by such negative characters and she said….Absolutely not!  All a satisfied me could then say was…Amen!

The never-ending Word of God and the loving hope He brings to cherish and nourish us is in God’s shopping aisle. So, whatever we do and whatever we say, expect to do it to the glory and Good News of the Holy Spirit within, not in Mr. Lucky or because of the frustrated “They” out there somewhere.  In that, we’re not damned, but blessed forever if we do! That family and friends is the supernatural grocery in His Market Basket!!

1 Cor 2:9; Matt 6:33; Phil 4:19; Ps 23:1; Rom 8:32; James 1:17