beautifully broken

I just finished up reading a phenomenal summer read titled, "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. I definitely recommend it. The book is based out of Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960's. The book has an entire cast of characters but mainly focuses on three in particular:

Skeeter--a twenty-two-year old graduate that has a dream of writing one day but her mother has other ideas in mine...like being a proper southern lady, getting married, and being like all the other ladies in town. But, she has plans of her own that create the entire story for this novel.

Aibileen--a black maid raising her seventeenth white child who decides to take a stand for what she believes in by telling her story.

Minny--a black maid that is s-p-u-n-k-y! She also decides to tell her story of working as a maid for over 30 years.

It really is difficult to describe the greatness of this book but I must say that reading it is a must for this summer! But the icing on the cake is that it's being made into a movie that will be out in August. Here's the preview:

Psalm 103:12

"He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west."

I read this yesterday morning and took time to really think about it. I can read and stare at it all I want to. Every time I've read this, I always get that song stuck in my head. And, it's not even a favorite of mine.

So, I tried to be still. To be quiet. This is what I got:

separated

When we ask for forgiveness of sin, it's forgotten. It's as far from you as the east is from the west. You're separated from it. And when you're separated from it, it's AWAY from you. When it comes back to us, it's because we allow it back in. If there's something you feel like you're constantly battling, remember that by the power of Christ, you're separated from it. If it comes back, you brought it back. Have the mindset that you're SEPARATED from it. It doesn't belong to you anymore. It's not meant to stick to you.

That's why each day is new. His mercies are new. What you did yesterday and asked for forgiveness for today, is separated from you. It can't touch you. It's as far as the east is from the west.

Remember too, that, this whole separation of sin goes to those that have hurt us as well. If you've forgiven someone for hurting you, have you really forgiven them? Have you separated that sin, that hurt, they caused you. When you look at that person, do you look at the sin they committed against you still? This one is much more difficult. But, if we are to forgive someone for something they've committed wrongly against us, we are to separate that sin from them. Look at that person in a whole new light, just as Christ looks at you as you radiate.

You radiate because you're separated from darkness.