God’s Dump Yard

   In the small community where I grew up, we had a ‘community dump’ a few blocks from our house (outside of town). Back then, we didn’t have a trash service, so this is where we disposed of our garbage, trash and broken items. The township would occasionally burn and bury it to make room for more. I remember often it was quite stinky.

   I was amazed, almost every time my dad went there, he came back with ‘treasures’. He found antique marbles, old glass bottles, even some vintage toys that were churned up when they buried the recent trash. Occasionally he would bring back something he thought he could fix, like small electrical items. Often though he either couldn’t fix it, or never got around to it, he was excited to have rescued something of value.

   Wouldn’t it be great if we had a ‘dump’ to deposit all the ‘trash’ in our lives? Stuff like past hurts, past mistakes, and all our past sins? Well, we do! We can take it all to God. God disposes of our past and remembers it no more. We can leave it ALL with Him and begin each day anew.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Hebrews 8:12

    Like the ‘community dump’ back home, if we don’t let God ‘burn and bury’ our trash, it builds up, overflows, and spills out as hatred, anger, bitterness and a whole lot of other bad, stinky, character defects. And unfortunately, we tend to go back, dig up our “trash,” and bring it back home again.

    When we give our collection of garbage (emotions), trash (character defects), and broken items (brokenness) to God and allow Him to burn and bury them (remembering them no more), we have room to bring back ‘treasures’ (ability to experience God’s love and His grace) and we’re free to be who He created us to be and to love others as He loves.

    Some of the items my Dad brought back from the ‘dump’ had ‘potential’ value but each of US has DEFINITE value in God’s eyes. So, dump your garbage, trash and brokenness at the foot of the Cross, give your life to Jesus, and watch Him clean you up and fill you with new treasures (the Holy Spirit).

    Like my dad and his ‘precious treasures’ he found at the ‘dump’, God is super excited to rescue us and clean us up, because He values and loves us unconditionally. The difference is, God has both the ability to fix us, and the patience to take the time needed. Even in our brokenness and selfishness we ARE His valued treasure.

What ‘garbage, trash, and brokenness’ in your life do you need to give to God?

Do you truly KNOW, in your heart, you are God’s valued treasure?
 
~Joanie Lawrence-Cain