We were only holiday by the coast in January and on a drive decided to stop and look at a stunning view of the coast from a high point. It was a perfect day - classic calm sea with the dramatic Kapiti Island as clear as could be. We just kept saying 'Wow... isn't it stunning.' We just stood there drinking it in.
Then I looked down at around our feet and there were a number of fast food cartons and soft drink cans and bottles. Urgh.... How jarring, in such a beautiful place. I could not fathom how people could stand and admire all this beauty and then litter the place with their rubbish. So we picked it all up and put it in the bin only a few metres away!
Some days later - at a time when God was revealing lovely things to me at a seminar - and my heart was deeply touched... I found that in a conversation with someone close - some old and painful places were touched - and ugly feelings and words started to emerge and litter this 'sacred space'. Hmmmm.... I have this problem too. Ugly things in beautiful places. And the solution also is to clear them up and put them in the bin.
It seems to be a feature of life, doesn't it. I was at another event with lovely relational things happening - and someone got their nose out of joint, and sour and negative words started being muttered, and I thought, "How sad...." Is this just how this life will be? Jesus did talk about the wheat and the tares (weeds) growing together until the final day.
I have made it a habit in the last year to name every ugly thing that comes out of me 'a place that has not experienced the healing love of the Father.' For where divine love resides - no ugly, painful, sinful thing can remain. So it is imperative, not just to apologise and ask forgiveness for the ugly outbursts, but to invite the Spirit to put together that wounded, needy place with the wonderful, cleansing and restoring love of God. He does have answers - but we must seek them out.
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