As you may know, Linda and I are geocachers.
We use a gps device to locate different size containers hidden by other geocachers. This is not just a passing fad; there are 1,812,257 active geocaches and over 5 million geocachers worldwide.
Most every geocache contains a log sheet that you can sign, while many larger containers may also contain some trade items.
You then can go online and log your finds at www.geocaching.com. The website keeps track of your stats of how many geocaches you have found and in what states; plus finds per day, week, month, or year.
The whole purpose is to get into the great outdoors, have fun, and find the cache.
Now there are times when the geocache is missing by either some non-cacher finding it and taking it, or maybe the weather (high water or downed trees) have moved it.
I will not replace a cache for another person unless I see evidence of where it had been, like a hanging piece of string (the tether) or maybe pieces of a damaged container on the ground.
Over the weekend we traveled around and did some maintenance on the geocaches we own. While many were missing and we replaced with a fresh container; there was one hide where a cacher took the liberty of “replacing” my container because he/she thought mine was missing.
However my original cache was not missing but was hidden just about a foot below where the new container was placed.
We live in a replacement society. Many replace their vehicle every few years, while others simple replace an appliance or piece of equipment rather than having it repaired.
Spiritually, there are those that want to replace the Gospel of Jesus with a watered-down version. This makes the redemption of Jesus non-effective.
Their design is to replace the sheer grace of our God with sheer license — which means doing away with Jesus Christ, our one and only Master. Jude 4 (The Message Bible)
Paul addressed the Galatian’s about this by saying, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.” Gal 1:6-7
The Gospel is being replaced with tolerance and a “call to love” that God never intended.
More about that next time.