Trash Diggers

I was in the kitchen yesterday doing the dishes. My granddaughter, who just turned one, was with me for the day. Hailey thinks that she has to be wherever I am. She is not a happy camper if I walk out of the room and leave her behind. So she followed me into the kitchen so she would not be alone. As I was doing the dishes she edged over towards the trash can and reached out to grab for something that she wanted in the trash. I would tell her "NO! NO!" Hailey would stop reaching but immediately drop her lower lip and begin to cry. After a few moments she would reach towards the trash again for whatever it was that was enticing her. I would continue washing dishes and simply say "NO! NO!" never once turning around to look at her or moving her. I just simply gave her a firm command and continued doing the dishes. Again, out of the corner of my eye, I could see she her lower lip begin to quiver and drop. Then the crying began all over again. This went on about 5 times. I believe it was on the 6th attempt that she was trying to dig in the trash that I gave a very stern "NO! NO!" Hailey then turned and threw herself and buried her face into the back of my skirt and wailed hysterically. Oh the pitiful crying that went on. She clung to the back of my skirt and wailed. I continued on with the dishes as she cried and pulled on my skirt. Her crying got louder and louder. She would raise her head and cry then throw her face back into my skirt, pull on my skirt, and wail louder. It was as if she was pleading with me to please let her have the object she wanted that so charmed her in the trash can. I thought to myself, Hailey Renee, you have all those wonderful toys you just got for your birthday and you want to dig in the trash can for something to play with? Girl what is wrong with you? Then it hit me! That's the way God's children are. He has blessed us with so many WONDERFUL things and yet, sometimes He sees His children reaching for the trash can of this wicked evil world to find something to entertain themselves with. God has delivered us from the deep miry clay. Cleansed us from drugs, alcohol, prostitution, lying, cheating, a life spent in and out of jail. Some have lived on the streets, under bridges. God gave them homes, mended broken hearts, others blessed with cars who were walking before. I've seen families put back together. We are blessed with good wholesome fellowship amongst the family of God. Get together at the parks, fellowship meetings, conventions, Sr Camps, Youth Camps and the list goes on. It is a good life a living for the Lord! Yet, for some reason or another, IF we are not careful, laying on top of the trash can of this thing we call the WORLD, will be something the devil has placed just to try and entice you! If he can only get you to reach in and take a hold of the object that looks so inviting, alluring, then he has a chance of snagging you and pulling you to the bottom of the trash can. God is standing and washing, not dishes but souls, and He is watching His children as He is doing so. He sees when we reach out towards the trash can of the world. He doesn't move us away from the tempting object. He simply says "NO! NO!" We might let our lower lip quiver and drop. We might pout and cry. But like Hailey some of us keep trying to reach for that enticing object because we want it so bad. Sometimes God will even use the Preacher through His word to speak to us about what we are doing. We still get upset and want that enticing object of the trash can from the world. We might even go as far as to throw ourselves on the altar, grab a hold of the horns of the altar, wail and plead with God because we want it so bad. All the time He is saying "NO! NO!" Because He knows it is of no value to us. It will destroy us and our walk with Him. It will drag us to the bottom of the trash can. I wonder if He looks at us and says "All the wonderful blessings you have and you want to dig in the trash for pleasure? Child, what is wrong with you?" I will tell this, my worst day living for the Lord is better than my best day ever was living in the world! Like Hailey is towards me, I want to be towards God. Lord, I want to be wherever you are! I will follow you. I don't want to be left alone! When you see me reaching for anything that will destroy my walk with you, don't ever stop telling me "NO!NO!" I don't want to be lured into the trash digging business for the pleasures that this world has to offer. I don't want to be found suffocating at the bottom of the trash can of sin. But like Hailey was with me, I will lift my arms to you and crawl into your lap and lay my head on your shoulder and cling to you. I will let you wipe away my tears and know that you love me and know what is best for me! For above all else, I MUST BE SAVED!