JESUS THE COLLECTOR OF OUR GARBAGE

 

I remember reading a story from a book called “Be Transformed” by Scope Ministries in Oklahoma, a sister ministry and member of Network 220 of which I am a member. The story went like this:

 

A couple moved into a brand new community under development. They were the first to move in on their block. There were no garbage services when they moved in so they stored their garbage in the basement. As weeks went by, the garbage mounted. One night, the couple hosted a housewarming party and invited all of their friends and new neighbors from their new neighborhood to their home. They decked their new home with colorful lights; relaxing music filled the air and the finest food was spread from table to table. The couple was so excited to show off their new home and enjoy their company for the evening. As the couple met their guests at the door, they removed their coats and hung them in the coat closet, but, the guests appeared a little uneasy. One by one, they came up with excuses why they had to leave the party early. The couple was sad because their guests left early. One of their friends came to them and said, “Thank you so much for inviting me to the party. The food tastes amazing, the decorations look phenomena, and your house is beautiful. Please do not get upset, but to be honest with you, your house stinks!” With those remarks, their friend kissed them on the cheek and left the house. The couple looked at each other, disappointed and baffled by what occurred.

 

The truth of the matter is, the couple’s garbage had seeped through the walls of the house. Odors permeated the whole house and they did not realize it. The couple had become accustomed to the smell because it had become a part of their everyday existence. It was their normal. It took a brave and loving friend to tell them the truth. A true friend is one who loves you but will not enjoy your garbage with you; they will tell you. There is no greater friend than Jesus. He is the friend that sticks closer than a brother and will always tell you the truth!

 

I love this story because it depicts how we all have built our lives over heaps of mental and emotional garbage. The garbage might have been left by our sins, the words or rejection of parents, relatives, teachers, friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, children, spouses, and others. There are issues in our lives we have never addressed. We have decorated the outside of our lives beautifully. We spend thousands of hours keeping up an image that appears to be polished and appealing. We cover up things that are too painful to face. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing!” is our way to brush off the truth of what is going on inside. We strive, work hard, and hide in all kinds of activities to hide our pain. If anyone gets close enough, they will discover the odors emitting from the basement of our hearts; the garbage hiding in the closets of our minds.  Garbage never goes away on its own. It leaves us bitter, angry, mean, anxious, overly sensitive, fearful, worried, impatient, lonely, unforgiving, critical, insecure, and more. For these reasons, our Lord Jesus came into the garbage heap of the world and ours. He came to remove the stench and garbage that sin and others have left behind within us. He already knows about every foul and despicable area of our hearts, still, He is not ashamed to love us, care for us, and call us His Beloved.

 

Before reading the story I shared with you, I remember sitting in a counseling session with a client one day and I saw a vision of me holding a big black garbage bag. As my client was talking, her words were like trash and it filled the big black garbage bag I was holding. When it was full, I looked out of the window and saw a big landfill with a mountain of trash covered with dirt and on top of it was Jesus hanging on the cross. He reminded me each day, “Tresca, I am the garbage collector within you and each day my children come to bring the garbage of pain from their lives and share them with us. They can leave them here at the foot of the cross or gather their garbage back into their garbage bag and take it home with them, it’s their choice.”

 

From that day forward, as a counselor and therapist, I had a different perspective of what my purpose was in the lives of humanity, my brethren, and my life. The Cross of Christ was more than a cross of death over 2000 years ago. It still remains the place where every human soul goes to rid themselves of the stinking garbage that holds them hostage. The Cross of Christ is where He took every one of our sins, sorrows, and pains then nailed them forever to that tree. Also, He nailed our old broken, sin ravished, independent flesh, and the old man with Him on the cross to set us FREE. (Please go to http://www.abranchinthevine.com/blog/lenten-meditation-a-word-of-completion to learn more about our death on the cross when Jesus cried, “It is FINISHED”) My friend and sister Jan Loyd have a wonderful blog just posted.

 

 

Jesus came to heal us, rescue us from our fears, but He also came to remove the garbage of our lives caused by painful events, guilt, and shame of our past, present, and future sins. He came to free us from the abuse of others, only if we would let Him, please let Him!

 

EASTER IS THE CELEBRATION OF NOT ONLY JESUS’S DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION BUT OURS TOO…THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR HEARTS TO HIM! Read again Romans Chapter 6.

 

Galatians 2:20- My old self (In Adam) has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I (In Adam) who lives, but Christ lives IN me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (New Living Translation)

  

 

  Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus. I am so grateful that I can bring my stinking issues to you and you will never judge me. I don’t want to hide them, pretend they don’t  exist. I lay them at the foot of the cross where you suffered and died so I don’t have to carry them anymore. Please show me the garbage in my life that I have not given to you.  Today I give my garbage to you (call it out by name). AMEN

NEW SONG POSTED TO HEAVEN SERENADE PAGE: “HEAVEN HAS COME DOWN”