TITLE: Trash Day By Mary Nellum 04/10/05 |
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They were faded, and comfortable, and starting to wear out around the waist and the knees. It took me a long time to finally decide to put them in the trash.
I actually had been thinking about it for a few days. I knew the time had come, but I wasn't ready to put the thought into action. The pants had gotten too big, and so I was constantly having to pull them up. I would stand up, the pants would slip down just a little too far, I'd pull them back up again and laugh.
Then last night when I pulled them off, I looked at them for a moment and thought, "You know, tomorrow is trash pickup day." Then I wandered through the house and wistfully laid them on the arm of the couch so I wouldn't forget to put them out in the morning. I still couldn't bring myself to actually put them in the trash.
They were the last thing to get put in this morning as I was working my way through the house, gathering the trash. But I did it. I tucked them in the bag, and took them out.
Why is it so hard to leave our past behind and put our pain and hurt into the trash?
We all want to hold onto our old blue jeans, don't we? The past is comfortable. It's what we're familiar with. Yet we know when it's time to lay it down, to throw it in the trash and let it be taken away, but we hesitate.
We'd like to have something new, something that fits us now. But we don't have it in our grasp just yet, and so that's scary. We'd rather have the old jeans, the ones that don't fit us anymore, just in case.
Isn't that the way it is when God is doing a new work in our lives? He asks us to let Him have the old blue jeans. The old way of thinking, the old way of acting, all our old ways, and then He gives us new clothes.
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. ~ Isaiah 61:10
But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the BEST robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. ~ Luke 15:22
See that? We don't just get new clothes, we get clothes beyond compare! Clothes that are matchless and unrivaled, beautiful and clean. Clothes made exactly to our specifications and that never wear out.
Don't you have an old pair of blue jeans to give Him?
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