The Garbage Collector

My church sponsored a mission trip to the dumps in Mexico City. Today in church several gave their testimonies about their experiences. One mission team member spoke about her life. She grew up on the streets of Mexico City sleeping under an old pickup truck. As a little girl, she begged on the streets of the City and was abused at home.

Going back to the streets of Mexico City was very difficult for her as it held much baggage for her. She liken it to the dump. She said she had a great garbage dump in her soul that she had been carrying around for many years having pushed it deep, deep inside.

But, she said by the Grace of God and love of the Church, family and friends, she was able to release and let go of all the garbage (baggage) she had been carrying around for so many years.

It made me liken Satan to a garbage collector. He just loves to collect all our garbage (baggage) and make a big dump out of it within our hearts, minds and souls. He collects and collects and adds to the heap. The garbage begins to stink and rot and we never feel clean.

I guess then the Lord is the great recycler. He takes the parts of us that are precious to Him and lovingly recycles it all into a new creation.

What love is this? What love is this? What love!

Sigh...

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So, Saturday I woke up weepy, depressed, feeling abandoned and grieving as if it were April - May 2006 all over again. The Army in Atlanta is a challenge to us at the moment.

Today I feel better. Went to church and prayed for a Word, a Touch, SOMETHING!

Pastor Fletcher spoke on healing (Matthew 8). A simple touch of Jesus brought healing to three people in that chapter of Matthew. But, as we know, His healing brought more than a physical healing. It brought a "wholeness" to each of these people. They were "cleansed" and made "whole."

Oh I pray for this cleansing...perhaps this is all part of it. But I want to be free from the brokenness so that I don't carry it forward. No baggage. Please heal my hurt and help me let it go.

Pastor said, "In His presence there is healing." How many times have we heard that statement. And yet how often do we enter His presence? Just enter the Throne Room and "be." Don't have to say anything or do anything or pray anything...just be. And, I believe, healing will come.

I now need to practice this belief.

He tells us to focus on Him, get to know Him, seek His face, His word, His knowledge. Leave what the world is dishing out to you to Him. If you seek Him (spend time in His presence), then "the things of earth grow strangely dim."

Sigh...I feel like I'm dragging, limping into the Throne Room today. I'm am so wounded from the spears of envy, jealousy, and evil...yes, coming from my beloved Salvation Army. But, I know it is coming from people, not "the Army."

I so desire to have a good and sweet memory of "the Army" in years to come, but some people are making that very difficult. I suppose a divorce is the same. There are such sweet memories that one wants to hold on to, but the ex mares those memories with fresh hurt and pain. So the memories get clouded and the sweetness leaves your mouth.

Sigh...