Garbage? Really!

It is amazing what we have learned to do with garbage. We recycle what seems vile and useless and we make it into something useful. If you ever have the opportunity to fly into New York City you will see the skyline of Manhattan, the water around as your plane lands on one of the runways at LaGuardia Airport. But what you didn't realize was that before that Airport was built it was all just a landfill. A place where New York dumped their garbage! That is what you might think of your life, a garbage dump and worthless. Wait, before you get to thinking too much about that let me share Mary's story with you.

Mary was a young lady that many looked at and had these words to say "what a wasted life." They may have said the same about you! Mary had been abused sexually and to sedate her pain she used drugs and alcohol. But what she said one night reached into the hearts of many whose lives were nothing more than a landfill, a garbage dump, a life that was hopeless. Many have backgrounds that are horrific; mental abuse, sexual abuse, feeling of being unloved, unwanted and not as good as others. Just remember God doesn't make junk and you are someone much loved in God's eyes and heart. Just like LaGuardia Airport that was once no more than a garbage dump, is now one of New York's most valuable pieces of property. Mary herself said "I can't believe how God uses the stuff I've been through to change so many lives." That's it; garbage recycled by God, to help others find life and hope. Mary, like many others just gave her life to God and that made all the difference.

Like Joseph, nearly murdered by his brothers as a teenager, sold into slavery, imprisoned in a foreign land, but ultimately rescued by God and made the second most powerful man in the world. In that position, God used him to prepare for a coming famine, and saved many lives in Egypt even the lives of his brothers who betrayed him. Had there been no betrayal he would have never been in Egypt. No Egypt and many would have died, possibly even his own family. Here's what Joseph had to say about his experience Genesis 50:20
But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish…saving many lives. That is what God wants to do with the garbage in our lives. Make it into something that can touch and heal many other lives. If you'll release all that junk, all that pain to Jesus, who alone can heal it and redeem it, He will make it into a magnet for some other hurting lives. If you harbor it, it will only make you hard and bitter and largely useless in a wounded world. But if you surrender all that garbage to Jesus, He can and will turn it into a beautiful compassion, because you know how it feels. Which will cause many other struggling people to identify with you, to open their hearts and trust you, as God allows you to lead them to Jesus. He's the One who was "a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering" who "took up our infirmities and carried our sorrow." The Bible says it's, by His wounds we are healed Isaiah 53:4
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Isaiah 53:5
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

As in the words of Mary "He will use the things you've been through to change not only your life but the lives of many others".