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The Hammer and the Nail
by Don Pedal I recently heard the lyrics of a song that said, "I'd rather be a hammer than a nail ." I thought, "Isn't that so much like life." Life is the hammer, and we, as followers of Jesus, are the nail. The hammer pounds us --- this worldly system around us. It has no mercy. It destroys and can only claim usefulness in pounding and, sometimes, destroying things. The nail (us) endures the pounding gallantly, but, it pulls things together as it penetrates and then faithfully holds things together. As we look at the world around us, it is easy to get discouraged and feel, "what's the use -- what difference does it make." Things only seem to be changing for the worse. The media tells us that our government is ineffective, unable to agree on anything. Our schools and universities teach that whatever you believe is fine but seem to draw the line at Christianity. There are those that say it is all right, in fact, good for everyone to carry guns. (If that were true, we should be the safest nation in the world). It is so easy to get tired of all the media clamor and give up --- what difference does one person make. Worldly pessimism is all around us. When you begin to feel this way, remind yourself that God is still in control. Even though he is working quietly, he still reigns supremely. (Isa. 40:31). "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint". When you begin to feel the grip of pessimism be careful. It is so easy to slip into a feeling of indifference. Remember, the secular world out there cannot solve the complex problems it faces. It does not have the wisdom and knowledge needed. I say that with the confidence that only Jesus and his true followers, empowered by the Holy Spirit, can deal with the issues of today. Our Lord does not see callous indifference as part of any true believers philosophy. If we can agree on that, we will realize that each of us plays a vital role in sensing Gods leading, through his Holy Spirit residing within us. If we would quiet the din of the secular world around us, turn off the phones, TV, and other devices, and listen to our inner spirit, we will find the guidance to discern the special path God has planned for us to travel. That path will be unique, enabling us to use the special talents God has given us. Some of us tend to think in terms of pastors, elders and other church leaders. After all, that is what they are there for, right! We think in term of meetings, plans or conferences, etc. So often, they result in pleasant times, lots of dialogs, and soon fade from our attention as new problems arise. The early church did not seem to have this problem. Here was a church that turned the world upside down. What did they have that we don't? They believed in the power of one individual to change the world around him through the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit residing within him. I realized the latent power of one individual. The power of God, flowing through one willing person, can change one's world. We must begin to think of ourselves as servants of the Most High. We must remind ourselves that we have no power in ourselves, only that given to us by Him. He desires to use every one of us as channels of His love, healing and forgiveness to the hurting world around us. We meet people every day who have problems and are hurting inside. At that moment, we are that person, in the unique position to be a channel of God's grace. As we read about Gods servants in the bible, one character trait stands out. Each one saw himself as a servant of the Lord. As the Holy Spirit lead them, each one stepped out, in faith, to pursue the action God had inspired in them. We can be confident that God will not call us to any good work without enabling us to accomplish it. We need to study the Word daily. God desires to walk with us and have a personal relationship. We need to discipline ourselves to have a quiet time, each day, with our Lord. How can the General (our Lord) direct our daily activities, if He rarely hears from us (his soldiers)? Allowing God to use us is not always easy to do. It can be inconvenient and disruptive to our plans and can take time that we do not feel we have. Our Lord offers us a wonderful ministry tailored just for us. He provides the power, ability, sensitivity, compassion, energy, and enthusiasm. With Him walking with us daily, how can we fail? In Him, all things are possible. Are you hesitant? If so, step out in faith and see that serving our God is sweet The choice is yours. As a senior citizen, I am dedicated to serving the Lord through sharing my experiences and insights with other believers. My primary focus is upon being an disciple of Jesus and, in being one, I can help others to find their spiritual way also. This article is original and not copywrited Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |