It was a dream coming true, they had longed for a home of their own for some time; finally keys in hand their new life could begin. Everyone wanted to love in this community; it had good schools, greenery lined streets, and a park was directly across from their new home; who could ask for more. In front of the garage set two very large shining trash containers reflecting the sunlight. As time passed those shiny cans began to dull, stains began to accumulate on every surface.

There were times the trash just would not stay in them, it would be all over the sides and the surrounding ground. Each week the cans would be set at the end of the driveway and emptied by a city refuse worker, sometimes the cans would get banged up and dented by mistreatment. Have you ever given any thought to what happens to all the trash collected? Where do they take it? How do they get rid of it? Do we ever think of cleaning the trash cans, restoring them to the shiny cans they were in the beginning .

We are just like those shiny new cans, we are born into this sin stained world seeing it through eyes of amazement and hope. We were each created uniquely wonderful with an appointed road to travel, a road that would eventually lead us to our greatest love and purpose. Unfortunately, in this life we have all made choices that cause us to change our direction and walk a different path. I’m sure you’ve heard the old saying “all that glitters ain’t gold”.

Along this path we begin to collect trash; our eyes collect trash from the movies we watch, books we read, social media we indulge in and copying the trends in fashion we see. Our ears collect trash from the things we hear and our mouths repeat or speak trash we have accumulated as we walk the path, we become trash dumps; not realizing we have assimilated the sinful world in which we live. Our hearts have become completely contaminated by sin.

How do we get back on track? Where can we empty the trash in our lives? How can we clean away all the stains of sin? It’s sad to say, but; we are just like those cans setting at the end of the driveway, we can’t empty ourselves. We need the loving hands of the Ultimate Refuse worker, He is not afraid to get dirty; He will do whatever it takes to empty out the trash and restore us to a shining reflection of Himself. Jesus is His name, ONLY He can cleanse the heart and renew in us the right spirit.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace