When I got home, I noticed one remaining trash can. Apparently, my husband didn’t pull it to the end of the driveway for pickup. Approaching it, I could see why…maggots climbed up, down and all over it. Yuck! I looked inside, only to see, at the bottom, a half eaten box of chicken legs.
And, seeing this, brought a valuable insight: Death leads to more death.
Death leads to more death because, what life – sin has killed, the enemy, like a maggot – feeds on. He brings more death.
Now, sweet friends, I am fully aware all this talk sound highly disgusting. But, I also believe it can be highly transforming, this is why we are venturing into the depths of trash.
Consider this: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ro. 6:23
Sin leads to death.
Then, death leads to death.
Jesus leads to life.
Then, life leads to life.
Where have you allowed sin to produce death in your life? How is the enemy feeding on you, only to produce more death – death of joy, peace, productivity, power, grace, hope, love, mercy – in your life? Death of relationships? Death of belief?
While through the Spirit, we are being transformed into the image of Christ with ever-increasing glory (2 Cor. 3:18), I am convinced the enemy’s operating procedure is to move us to ever-diminishing glory. So we don’t look like Christ.
Today, I didn’t want to touch that maggot-box. I didn’t want to drag it down the driveway, but I knew, it had to go or the death would stay.
What today, do you need to drag in front of Jesus – and let go in order to remove the death that is settling in around you?
Be not afraid, my brothers and sisters, our God is a gentle God, slow to anger, abounding in grace, mercy and new life. When you come and encounter his face, the face of your sin will change.
Perhaps, you do this today. Rather than continuing in excusing, rationalizing, permitting, blaming or smearing – today, perhaps you approach the one who loves you – so he can.
This is my prayer for you – and for me…
Dearest Father, you love us. You love us, then you love us, then you love us…and love us some more. May we know, in the place where we feel death, we are only a confession away from your life. May we know you want us. May we know you always welcome us. We confess, God, we have fallen into sin. It looks like this: _______. It has hurt us in this way: _____. We hand it to you, into your loving hands. We are sorry. What new way can we go when we are prone to do it, Father God? ____. We thank you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
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What a beautiful prayer you’ve written here, Kelly. So good to remember that life is only a confession away. 🙂
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Wonderful post, Kelly, and so true! As we drag our worst before the Cross, Jesus brings forgiveness, healing, and new life!
We can call it something else, and hide our faces from the truth, but sin is sin, and it is ugly. (Even uglier than that nasty trash can!) Thanks for real life stories about the things we deal with every day — but maybe are unwilling to talk about!
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An aggressive call to action here friend but a necessary one. Thank you for the courage to compel us to do the hard thing.
Do I really have to drag that trash out? Yes, I think so if I want to live forgiven and with freedom. Great post!
Disgusting but true.
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Yuck, but this is the truth!
Beautiful prayer and inspiration!
Thanks for the great visual illustration of how sin and death leads to more of the same! Thanks, too, for hosting each week. I look forward to your summit and hope to be able to listen to as much as I can. Blessings, Kelly!
Great reminder today,Kelly! Death needs to be dragged away or it will settle into our lives and stench our walk with the Lord. Time and time again ,the Lord reminds me that the things that displeases Him must be put away.
Diana