Beneath the Surface

Not too long ago, my family and I, found the house that was the answer to our prayers. Today, we were moving a bunch of our 'stuff' over to the new house. For about the last few weeks, as I did today, I have been sorting through all the things I have accumulated over the years and throwing a great deal of it away. Old cards, old clothes, old papers and old junk. However, along with all these things, I have found myself throwing away old memories. Some bad, some good, I have gotten rid of so much. I have sorted through shelves and drawers pulling out my forgotten treasures and much missed possessions. Today, as my friend Taylor helped me out, she was saying how much my old things, each with its story, remind her of all those little odds and ends she too has kept through the years. I thought of how everyone has these little items with sentimental value that to anyone else would have thrown into the garbage at the street curb. Each of these are different for each person. There are stories, attachments and memories that tie people to certain objects. As I sorted my belongings, I had a hard time throwing certain items away because they were my only remaining connection to past relationships and past times. Basically, they were my ties to my past self. I began to think of how we tie ourselves to our old, unsaved selves. Just as each person has their own prized possessions, each also has their own special draws and temptations. Sometimes it is so hard to let go of old sins because they mean letting go of old friends and supposedly good memories. Honestly, their were some things I just did not want to get rid of. Yet all the same, I had to ask myself, will this honestly benefit me anymore. No old sin will ever benefit us. The mere thought of it may bring pleasure, but it is only destruction putting up a fancy facade. We must just kick all sources of potential sin, even if only something that will tempt the mind, straight to the curb.



Also, as I was sorting all these things, I found many old and very useful things I forgot I had. Some of them I have never even used. I also think of how often we take the gifts God has given us and the promises that are easily within our reach and burry them deep beneath the 'things' we have to do. Perfectly perfect, they sit unused, as we carry out our duties in our oh-so-busy lives.

So often, we sit, never really examining our hearts on a regular basis. We need to be constantly "moving" forward. Everyday we much sort through our hearts riding of wrong motives and reaching for the things of God. Pull the temptations off the shelf and dust off the destiney God has for our lives. Moving day is everyday. Forward is the direction, God is the destination.