Junk

I have a love and dislike relationship with my husband’s truck! Yesterday, I found myself wandering in a pick and pull (junkyard) for hours looking for a VERY specific part for Nathan’s truck. Now, for those of you who do not know me, let me assure you, that is a SHOCKING statement! I do NOT like junk, I do NOT like being around unclean things and I most certainly did NOT know what a pick and pull was prior to yesterday!

As soon as the vehicle was in park I said to Nathan, “I will wait here.” He gave me a look and I said, “fine.” I got out of the vehicle with camera in hand ready to take a picture to send my mom, only to be greeted by a sign that read in big black letters, “NO CAMERAS, NO PICTURES!” I am already a bit on edge so imagine my surprise when I learned that just to enter this place was going to cost $2 USD per person! I was baffled at the thought that I had to pay to look at junk! I confess I did say rather loudly, “I should have stayed in the car!”

To help make this experience even more pleasant, some nice soul (yes, that is snarky!) decided it was a good time to burn plastic. Don’t you know the wind starts to pick up and the smoke blows right at me! At this point I am choking and miserable. I said a quick prayer asking God, “to help me NOT freak out on Nathan!”  God, in His mercy, responded by opening my eyes to my surroundings. He brought to mind Job sitting on the ash heap as his once well oiled life was turned into a dump/wasteland.  [What amazes me about the book of Job is that it is the oldest book in the Bible. Job lived after the Tower of Babel (Gen 10) and before Abraham (Gen 12), I mention these details because this means God addressed human suffering from the beginning!]

As I was staring at all the junk, I could not help but to think of Ezekiel 37 and his vision of a wasteland with dry bones; I thought about Sarah, Hannah and Elizabeth, who we are first introduced as barren women. I also thought of Moses roaming the backside of the desert.

While I was walking around and watching Nathan dig and pray for this VERY specific part, God opened my eyes to see the junkyard as a metaphor for life. How many of us have circumstances where we are sitting on ash heaps? How many of us think our lives are a wasteland beyond hope? How many of us if we are honest think our lives are worthless junk, never amounting to anything? How many of us are going through a dry, barren and desolate time?

I do not know what Nathan said to interrupt me, but I could tell he was getting frantic he might not find this VERY specific part! It wasn’t much longer when Nathan let out a triumphant shout. He had found his VERY specific part! I hurried to give him the tools he had me carry. I will humbly confess, when I looked inside the beat up, foul smelling truck, I noticed what was left of the flooring and said, “there could be rats in this thing!” and at that, I freaked out! I said loud enough for anyone to hear, “I am SO glad that we are laying up treasure in heaven free from moths, rust, rats and thieves!” (Matt 6:20).  I will freely admit, the junkyard is a great reminder why we are to store up heavenly treasure rather than earthly treasure (Matt 6:19-21).

Each one of us has a VERY specific part in God’s story! Some of us have more miles than others, some of us have rougher exteriors, but the one thing that we have in common as believers is that we are NOT junk! No hurt, no pain, nothing that we go through is EVER wasted. Remember this: God never wastes a hurt! God also cannot and will not live with junk; you have inherent worth as being created in His Image (Gen 1:27).  I have NO idea what you are going through; however, for the person who endures and perseveres, the Lord will transform and restore. That does NOT necessarily mean God will restore in the same way as Job or reward with the VERY specific part for a truck. However, He will dust us off and give us new hearts. He will also give us peace with Himself and each other.

Father God, I thank You Lord that whether a person is a Jesus follower or not, they are created in Your image. Lord, I thank You for the VERY specific part each believer has in Your family, story and Kingdom. Lord while we may have junk in our lives, I thank You we are NOT junk! Remind this reader Lord, even if their life resembles a junkyard or wasteland, it does not mean it will always be this way. Lord, impress on this reader the importance of storing up treasure in Heaven rather than here on earth. Lord, thank You for Nathan. Thank You for his heart, humility and support in allowing me to share this experience! Thank You Father that You desire to pick and pull people from sin, junk, and darkness and place them into Your light and family, Amen.

For those wondering, Nathan has a 1975 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup truck that I have affectionally dubbed, “Gremlin.”