Recycling

“As they pass through the Valley of Weeping, 

they make it a well (for others to drink from).”
Psalm 84:6

 

In asking our Korean students what was their most difficult adjustment in coming to America, their response, “we didn’t know where to put the food at lunch” caught me by surprise. A little follow up yielded the fact that recycling in Korea is light years ahead of what we do here in the United States. In our lunchroom, all garbage goes in one receptacle and it taken out to the dumpster. In Korea, the average home or school will have five recycling containers: one for all food products, one for metals, another for plastic, a fourth for paper and cardboard, and, lastly, a catch all for anything that doesn’t belong in one of the others.  And recycling is not hit or miss in Korea as it is here but something fastidiously adhered to.

 

Not only did I learn something about another country and culture from those students, but it has motivated me to issue a general call for far greater recycling in each of our lives starting today. But consider this statement before you jump to conclusions: “if you will allow Him, the Lord will recycle your pain for someone else’s gain.” Now that is recycling! We take the lessons learned, the pain we have experienced and recycle it into consolation in someone else’s life. We take the victories we have earned, and the faith gained as a result, and we recycle that too. No more of this American recycling; we are going South Korean all the way!

 

Scriptures say much about the testimonies of our lives being a means of wisdom and strength in the lives of others. Some lessons are of necessity learned through experiences we go through and learn from. But not all! How often are we given the opportunity to see and hear what has happened in another person’s life in order to avoid the same pitfalls in our own? How often are we privy to the failures of another for the express purpose of saving us from needless sorrow and pain? Out of love for one another, we desperately need a fresh commitment to the recycling of our lives.

 

When I think of how God can recycle our experiences in so many spheres of life, from raising our children to succeeding on the job, from enduring heartbreak to handling victory humbly, to holding on by a thread to getting to our wits end, I see abundant opportunity for each of us to contribute, through personal recycling, to the well-being of others. It will require us being more open about what we’ve gone through, more willing to make our pain a source of gain for a friend, a coworker or fellow believer. But what great value in taking the experiences and lessons that we have paid a dear price for and using them for great profit in the lives of others.

God Bless

Pastor Joe
Gateway Church 

Connect The Dots

“Thus says the Lord, ‘If you will walk in my ways and if you will keep my charge, 

then you will rule my house, have charge of my courts, 

and I will give you places to walk in my presence.’”

Zechariah 3:7

The children’s placemats at area restaurants, like my favorite National Coney Island, are a pretty good attempt to keep the little ones busy and occupied until the food arrives. Four crayons and the kids are off, doing the word search, coloring in the picture, unscrambling the words, and, the subject of this devotion, connecting the dots. Starting at the number one and going number by number, drawing a line between the dots until the picture becomes clear. And, in an ideal world, as the last line is drawn, the large barbecue Hani, fries with cheese on the side, and no pickle is just arriving along with the kids’ hot dogs, fries and chocolate milk.

As Rachel shared in service Sunday, she mentioned connecting the dots between the faith and courage displayed by some of the great men and women in the Bible and the very difficult trials of faith that had occurred earlier in their lives to strengthen their faith and prepare them for what was ahead. And her encouragement was for each of us to realize that, in the same way, we go through trials, storms and difficulties in our lives that are going to be crucial in preparing us for what God has ahead. Paul’s exhortation that “all things work together for good” no doubt had this same thought in mind. Even the enemy’s worst attacks, as Joseph experienced, become a tool for God to use to accomplish good in the lives of those He is at work in.

But as she spoke, my mind wandered to this thought of our connecting the dots. Are we connecting the dots to something God is trying to accomplish in our lives? Are we connecting the dots between our present and our future? Are we connecting the dots between present preparations (prayer and Bible study) and future preparedness? Is something not working out in our lives and we refuse to connect the dots because we know it will lead to a lack of obedience in our lives and will point the finger right back at us? Are we connecting the dots to how God works and to where He is leading, so that we connect the dots to our future, and can then clearly see the picture ahead of us and receive direction and encouragement from it?

Connecting the dots in our lives can be a win-win situation. By that I mean that as each line is drawn, and as the picture becomes clearer and clearer, you have the opportunity to win. For one person, winning might be realizing an area of disobedience and getting back on track so the dots connect to a right picture. For another, winning might mean finding strength as you realize that God is in control and that, in His wisdom, He is preparing you for great things ahead!

God Bless

Pastor Joe

Gateway Church