Dumpster Diving

by Lynn, posted in Growing Deep, Old Testament Studies

A Place Where I Belong_Lynn Abbott_Canon photo of painting

© 2018  Lynn Abbott

Horrified best describes her reaction. However, I was too busy dragging the damaged cart from the dumpster to reflect on my scheme’s advisability.

The lines were good, and the smell? It was nothing that a little bleach couldn’t cure.

My husband served as my accomplice on this expedition to the construction dumpster temporarily lodged at the end of our cul-de-sac. My neighbors had already put it to good use. I was simply making the most of an unbelievably excellent opportunity.

My mother? My skeptic. A child of the depression, and World War II, she had happily attempted to leave hand-me-downs behind when she and Dad furnished their home.

Dad, on the other hand, carried his Depression era habits with him into conjugal bliss. No matter how battered and broken, nothing was without value.

Obviously, I am my father’s child. It must be in the genes because our son was cheering that day as I dragged home my prize.

And so the recycling bug broke into my mother’s happy, new and beautiful modernity.

Obviously, I am my father’s child.

There I was, doing it again. It couldn’t be helped. I simply love the challenge of making something beautiful out of someone’s cast-offs; turning an object gone awry into a piece of the sublime.

A Place Where I Belong_Lynn Abbott_Canon photo of paintingYet, in spite of my mother’s objections, I think my passion just might have some redeeming qualities . . .

While talking by telephone with a dear friend, I recently recalled some of the trash in my own life. I reflected on my past and noted that many life decisions had been made hastily.

Regrets . . . who among us doesn’t have them?  Sometimes life feels like a dumpster.

Unfortunately, there is no “Back to the Future;” no time machine; no rewind or even delete button. Believe me, if there were, I’d be the first to let you know.

But while there is no rewind button… no re-do… there is God’s amazing grace.

And I’m incredibly thankful that God’s mercy, grace and forgiveness ensures that we need not be defined by our past mistakes.

God, after all, is in the business of redeeming people and events.

Sometimes life feels like a dumpster.

Aaron–Moses’ brother– certainly discovered that.

In fact, Moses pulled Aaron out of more than a few dumpster piles.

That’s right. If anyone had cause for regret, Aaron did.  Of course, he started well.  Hadn’t he and Moses stood before Pharaoh and spoken God’s message?

Undoubtedly, Aaron experienced the miracles of God up close and personal.

Even so, Aaron failed. You remember: While Moses communed with God on Mount Sinai,  Aaron served as “vice-president.”

Apparently, Aaron didn’t have Moses’ backbone.  Perhaps, Aaron possessed a great deal of compassion.  Or maybe, like most of us, he simply wished to be liked.

Whatever the case, while Moses was away, Aaron waffled.  When asked by the people to create an idol for them, Aaron evidently feared their anger if he did not comply.

A Place Where I Belong_Lynn Abbott_Canon photo of paintingHis reaction was certainly understandable.

After all, Pharaoh himself had feared the great numbers of the people of Israel.

If Pharaoh feared, is it any wonder that Aaron who certainly didn’t have Pharaoh’s resources  trembled when a large contingency demanded  an idol?

Under pressure, Aaron’s faith faltered.     He succumbed to fear.

Yup.  Fear was undoubtedly Aaron’s Achilles’ heel.  After all, when Moses returned and confronted Aaron about the golden calf, Aaron again attempted to protect himself.

He whined, “…you know the people yourself that they are prone to evil,” (Exodus 32:22).

The gold calf fiasco, however, was not Aaron’s only regret.  In Numbers, God calls Aaron and sister Miriam out for their complaining.  Doesn’t sound like a big deal, does it?

Moses pulled Aaron out of more than a few dumpster piles.

Nevertheless, they did more than just a little grumbling.  Numbers 12:1 actually says, “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married…”

It seems that Miriam and Aaron were encouraging mutiny.  They planted seeds of distrust.  They gossiped and undermined Moses’ authority.

And as is often the case, the more they talked, the more justified they felt they were in their complaints.  Likely, no one felt free to challenge Moses’ brother and sister.  Thus, they grew more bold.

They argued, “‘Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses?  Has He not spoken through us as well?”  (Numbers 12:2).

They had taken their murmuring too far.  God stepped in and confronted Miriam and Aaron in Moses’ presence.

A Place Where I Belong_Lynn Abbott_Canon photo of paintingSpeaking of Moses, God said,” … he beholds the form of the LORD.  Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant, against Moses?” (Numbers 12:8b).

In other words, Moses spoke directly to God; Moses had seen God.  He had been chosen especially by God.  Yet, they had dared to challenge Moses’ leadership and in doing so, they had actually challenged God.

The account in Numbers reveals that when God concluded the reprimand, Miriam became leprous.  Interestingly enough, though, scripture makes no mention of Aaron contracting leprosy.

The reason?  I believe that as the eldest, Miriam was the instigator.    Thus, she carried the consequences for their rebellion.

Why did Aaron go along with Miriam?  I believe he again feared disapproval.  He crumbled.

Caught up in sibling rivalry and gossip, Aaron found himself on the hot seat.

He had learned, however, that shifting blame didn’t get him very far.  He begged Moses for forgiveness.

Instead of blaming Miriam, Aaron said, “Oh, my lord, I beg you, do not account this sin to us, in which we have acted foolishly and in which we have sinned,” (Numbers 12:11).

Caught up in sibling rivalry and gossip, Aaron found himself on the hot seat.

Moses demonstrated tremendous grace in that situation.  He interceded on behalf of Miriam and Aaron.  Many would have wished to get even.  But not Moses.  Instead, he prayed for those who attempted to undermine him.

Amazing.

But God’s response to Aaron actually surprises me even more.  I’ve re-visited Exodus chapter 40:12-16 more than once just to verify what I read there.

A Place Where I Belong_Lynn Abbott_Canon photo of paintingI can hardly believe it.  But yes,  it’s there in black and white.

God told Moses to anoint and consecrate Aaron and Aaron’s sons as a perpetual priesthood to God.

Perpetual.

Ongoing.

“For all generations to come,” God said.

Aaron.  That same Aaron– who had cast the golden calf and enabled the people’s return to paganism while Moses communed with God on Mount Sinai– served as a high priest to Yahweh.

We’re talking the same Aaron who with Miriam, had nearly mutinied against God’s chosen prophet and leader, Moses.

Uh, huh.  God chose that very waffler… Aaron, the one with all the regrets. Aaron and his descendants  interceded on behalf of God’s people until God’s perfect high priest burst forth from the grave and ascended to heaven.

I love the irony of Aaron’s story.

Our amazing God certainly “flipped” Aaron’s “house of regret and rubble.”  He redeemed Aaron’s “house” and made it shine once more.

Yet, God chose that very waffler… Aaron, the one with all the regrets.

Yet, when I stop to consider it, I recognize that this was not simply God’s “one-off.” God is actually in the ultimate “fixer upper” business.

He gave Adam and Eve a choice in the garden, and when they chose poorly, He didn’t scrap the whole human project.  Although His creation had been marred by sin and evil, He didn’t crumple it up, or throw it away.

Instead, Christ  redeemed us from the debris. He climbed into the mess, and reached to reclaim us. He rescued us from the dumpster.  He makes us shine (1 John 1:7; Matthew 5:14).

Regrets?  Sure.  We all have them.  But in Christ our regrets no longer separate us from God.  Through Christ, our lives are redeemed–made new again.

God delights in  renewing and re-purposing our lives (2 Corinthians 5:17).

John 3:17 records, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

Indeed. All things considered, I think God might very well be the ultimate, dumpster diver.

“Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits–who forgives all your sins…who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,” ~Psalm 32:5-7

54 thoughts on “Dumpster Diving”

  2. I love your perspective on sharing the flaws of Moses’ siblings, and the great point you bring up about God choosing Aaron’s bloodline for the priesthood. Great post, Lynn!!! You really brought realness to how we can relate to the fall of Aaron and Miriam.

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  3. Ok, what was it you were diving for now 🙂 and how great is that– a husband acting as an accomplice…
    My aunt and I were in Rome years ago —we were walking away from St Peters when we rounded the corner and came face to face with a giant green dumpster when up pops a fellow with a half-eaten watermelon in hand—he looked as if he’d found the prize.

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  7. Reading your Blogs is like spending quality time watching a Classic film. Yes, you know the overall story line, but you as Director and Producer have added so many new twists and turns that it’s like partaking of a good banquet, the pleasure rises constantly.

    Bless you Sis … xx

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    1. Aww, you are extremely kind, Warren! Thank you with all my hear for your thoughtful encouragement, Warren! It means the world to me! I’m truly grateful for your friendship. What a gift from God to have met you here online and to be able to read your wonderful blog posts! I look forward to meeting you, if not here on earth, in our heavenly home. God bless you greatly as you bless so many! 🙂

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  8. Love this: God is actually in the ultimate “fixer upper” business! So true. He takes us off the junk heap and turns us into works of beauty that bring him glory. We too are trash pickers.Why let perfectly good stuff to landfills? I figure that if I can’t use it, surely someone can!!

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    1. I love the way you phrase it, dear Sheila: He “turns us into works of beauty that bring Him glory”! What a comforting and encouraging truth! And I love that you love to re-purpose the “throw-aways.” 🙂 What fun you and I would have if we were to spend a day together! Love and hugs!

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  9. WHAT A FIND!
    Dear Lynn, Thank you for taking time to write stories from your heart. Most people hide their true selves. You are a special lady. You are the light of God, not hidden under the basket. I am like you. I am not afraid to get ‘dirty’ looking for treasures in dustbins. I love to find ‘soul bargains’, people who are rejected by others, low in self esteem, in need of a new beginning. I rejoice when I find them! I clean them with the water of the Word of God. I ‘inject’ new hope in them! They now shine to the glory of God! As I read your letter this is the scripture that came to my mind: “God’s kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidentally found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field” (Mt 13:44, 45; TM)

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    1. Oh, Lia! The passage of Scripture in Matthew is the perfect companion to the message that God communicated to me through Aaron’s story. The Holy Spirit has once again used you to bring tremendous blessing to me here! Thank you! I will never think of dumpster diving in the same way again. I will now associate it with this beautiful parable told by our Lord regarding the treasure in the field. I’m so grateful that God introduced me to you through our blogs! What a treasure you are! You are truly a kindred spirit, and how wonderful it is to have found in you such a like-minded friend! God bless you beyond all that you can imagine, dear Lia! ❤ and huge hugs!

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  10. I’m so glad God never crumples us up and throws us away! He makes the broken beautiful. 🙂 Thank you, Lynn, for this encouraging reminder. So what did you make out of the cart? 🙂 Love and hugs to you!

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    1. Me, too, dear Trudy! I’m thankful that in Christ, He sees us not as we are but as what we will be! As for the cart? It received a fresh coat of paint, a butcher block top and now serves as additional prep space in my kitchen. 🙂 And it daily reminds me that–as you say–God makes the broken beautiful. 🙂 Love and hugs right back to you!! ❤ ❤

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  14. Amen! Love this!❤️ Thank you for the poignant reminder that God can still use broken vessels for honorable purposes. No matter what we’ve done (or has been done to us), God can redeem us if we come to Him with a contrite heart. I, for one, am very thankful God is into “dumpster diving” and “recycling.” 😉

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  15. I love how you looked at the flaws of Moses’ siblings. Thank you for this blessed post. 💙

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  16. Thanks Lynn……

    Your words are profound and you touch so many. YES, GOD is still in the business of making broken things into beautiful vessels. Let us always bring our brokenness and fear and sin to the foot of the Almighty CROSS!!

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  19. Terrific analogy, Lynn. God can take our greatest mistakes and turn them into something beautiful. Gods mercy and forgiveness is steadfast and everlasting. What a gift our Heavenly Father gives us in his love for us as his children. Thank you for you words and art.

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  20. A Wonderful Message Lynn reaffirming our Abba Father’s undying Love for us but to be honest my Life was more like the Local Rubbish Dump. For sure can we ever find enough words to Thank Him for His Mercy and Grace or to Thank Jesus who asked for His Fathers Will to be done although He knew bearing our Sin would cause them to be separated, just the same as when when we Sin it separates us from God until we have Heart Repentance. But Jesus Loved us and knew His Father would be heartbroken if we were not Redeemed and Set Free from the Slavery of Sin so we could walk on earth just as Jesus walked and be with Him Eternally with us having been Born Again and Perfected in Love..

    1John 4:16-19 And we have known and believed the Love that God hath to us. God is Love and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him. Herein is our Love made Perfect that we may have boldness in the day of Judgment: because as He is so are we in this World. There is no fear in Love but Perfect Love casteth out fear because fear hath torment, he that feareth is not made Perfect in Love. We Love Him because He first Loved us.

    1 John 2:4-6 He that saith I know Him and keepeth not His Commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His Word, in him verily is the Love of God Perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him. He that saith hebideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.

    Christian Love Always Lynn and God’s Blessings,
    Anne.

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