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Trashy Living

Well, I did it! I just got back from taking trash to the dump. I collected all the “trash”, crammed it into shiny black trash bags, piled them high in the back of a truck and off I went to dump this rubbish. When I get to the area to dump the stuff, I toss it in a big trash compactor that would really come in handy at home. When I return home feeling like I finally got rid of all the “junk” that was around the house, suddenly, I look and there’s another bag of trash brimming over in the kitchen , there are boxes and bags I forgot to remove in the storage area and the kids bathroom trash is beginning to take on a life of its own, etc.

In thinking of this “journey to the center of my garbage,” I began to think about my faith walk with the Lord. There are so many times in life that I think I have myself all together – I have everything all cleaned up and disposed of and then, wouldn’t you know it, here it is again. If you are like me, these moments of “rubbish recollection” have come to me in several ways for specific purposes.

The first revelation of “R & R” (Rubbish Recollection) has been that no matter how hard I try to remove the junk out of my life, there is still more “trash” there to be removed. This fact alone could cause us to live hopeless, depressed lives. But I believe its purpose is to show us that we need Jesus in our lives to clean up our “stuff” and help us become who He calls us to be.

The second revelation of “R & R” is realizing that some things I once treasured in life may need to be removed for me to grow in the Lord. As a young boy I had a security blanket that was my life. It was white knit with satin edging all around it. I had it everywhere with me. But there came a time when I needed to let it go so I could grow! The challenges of our daily lives often cause us to seek a magical security blanket to make our struggles go away, but being a Christian is not about the junk in life going away but about living “above” the garbage even when we may be surrounded by it. Jesus reminds us, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

The third thing is that I am a work- in-progress, a restoration process. Often the “trash” in my life, may make me believe I am unworthy of service to the Lord. As children of God, we must strive to be fully who Jesus desires us to be without allowing the baggage in life to define us. In 1 Corinthians 2:9 the Apostle Paul wrote, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." I believe it is time for the church to get rid of the boxes we have placed the Holy Spirit and ourselves in to see, to hear, and to experience what blessings the Lord has planned for us.

In the early church, the Spirit moved so powerfully through ordinary people that others were “added daily to their number.” With all the hurt, pain, frustration, confusion and other

 

God’s Word in Action: “Dover's Good Samaritan”

by Jill Cohen

We all know the parable of the Good Samaritan who gave of himself to care for another in need. After Jesus told that story, he told us, “Go and do likewise.” In Dover, Delaware, one woman has truly taken these words to heart. For more than 20 years, 78-year-old Sigrid Mills has dedicated herself to the goal of “bringing joy” to people in the area’s hospitals, nursing homes, assisted-living facilities and hospice care.

Virtually every day of the week, Sigrid plans her day around who is sick, where she will visit and what she will take to them. On the day I met up with her it was homemade creme puffs! “I never like to go visit someone empty handed,” she said.

Tall and nicely dressed, Sigrid always greets the people she visits with a warm smile and a touch. “I think touch is so important for people to feel loved, “ she said, “And for some reason God has given me a face that people can connect with.” But Sigrid doesn’t stop there. A singer for most of her life, Sigrid often blesses people by singing to them. “I figure Pastors can pray for people, so I will sing.”

As I followed Sigrid that day, I was struck by the awesome example of Christ she displayed with each stop. In Mr. Hazlett’s hospital room, she sang “Hymn of Promise” ending by saying, “That promise is for you to get well!” In the Alzheimer’s wing of one facility, she knelt at the bedside of a very sick woman holding her hand and saying, “I love you, and God loves you. You are a child of God!” At yet another, she joked about jewelry and cats bringing chuckles of laughter from the ladies. The emotion in her face was clear in each interaction. “You have to meet people where they are,” she said. “If they are laughing, you laugh with them. If they are agonizing, you agonize with them. If they are crying, you cry with them.”

Sigrid Mills is a beautiful example of “God’s Word in Action”, even though her humility would make her deny that she’s anything special. In the end, Mr. Hazlett put it best, “I’ve been in 15 rooms in this hospital over the years. I think she cheers me up so much, I keep coming back”.

Kohath Happenings

Date/Time	Event
2/21/09 – 2/22/09	Spiritual Renewal “Day”Retreat, Lewes, DE
2/22/09 – 5:30 pm	Healing & Wholeness Service
04/09 (Date TBD)	Spiritual Renewal Encounter, Lewes, DE

 

 

What do you think?

God Loves You! We throw that statement around so freely sometimes, but do you ever stop to think how amazing that is? The God of all creation loves you and me so much that he sacrificed His Son to have a relationship with us. The Christian group Casting Crowns wrote a powerful song called “Who Am I?” that really puts the gift of God’s love in perspective. Take five minutes to click this link and watch a powerful video of one group’s interpretation of this song. We’d love to hear your comments and reflections at www.kohath.org.

 

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