Month: November 2019

Sanding Off the Rough Edges

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As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.               Proverbs 27:17 NKJV

Sharpening begins with a tool hard enough to wear down the imperfections that have dulled the blade of a knife. It reminds me a little of a bunk bed building project for underprivileged children where I recently spent two hours sanding 2 by 4’s. Smoothing down those scrapes and gouges reminded how God has used friends to wear off some of the roughness in my own life.

“You’re just an expert on everything!” my boss Al said sarcastically one day, as he threw up his hands in disgust. His words stung because they were true.  Because we moved a lot when I was a kid I tried being smarter or at least cool enough to be accepted by others. Without my being aware of it this left me a bit of a know-it-all until that day when Al pointed it out. As much as his words hurt, they started me on the path that I needed towards change.

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None of us much like criticism but that is the first step that God uses to sharpen us. But we hold the key to how things turn out in our hands. We can get angry and reject any kind of correction from others or we can allow God to put to take off our rough edges. Correction hurts but if we allow it, God will sharpen us and restore us to the purpose for which we are made. We have a decision to make. We can remain dull or we can allow our Father’s hand to sharpen us for His use.

God is not Far Away

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And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. Luke 17:17-19 KJV

To understand this story we need understand a little about leprosy in the Bible. Far from being just an affliction of the poor, those with leprosy ranged from generals and kings to even a man named Simon who was one of Jesus’ closest friends. Because of both the law and its contagious nature, those with leprosy were required to live separately from others.  Without divine intervention eventually lepers all ended up outside of town with no companions except for their fellow lepers. That is where Jesus met the ten men that day. When they first saw Jesus they shouted at the top of their lungs for help from a distance. They had heard how Jesus had healed others and hoped that He would do the same for them.

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Don’t we all pray like that some days? God seems far away; but we hope that if we ask loudly enough, maybe He will listen. What we need to know is that Jesus is actually a lot more willing to help us than we think. In fact just as healing the ten lepers was the main event for Jesus that day so your request and mine matters deeply to Him right now. He knows our hearts and He chooses to come close even when others stay away. But transformation from leprosy to health is only the beginning of what God has in mind. What He really wants is to be close and for us to fall at Jesus’ feet and be made whole as we give thanks!

Taking Our Own Test

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No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

My hands sweated as I gripped the steering wheel helplessly watching the train pass by, knowing that with each car I was getting later for class. Five minutes later I bolted from my car and raced up the stairs to my classroom where everyone else was already seated and beginning the exam. Mrs. Sullivan smiled trying to look encouraging as I picked up my English Literature test and plopped down in my seat.

“Who in the world are they?” I wondered as I glanced at the first question with a list of authors to choose from. So I skipped down to the next question but it was on a novel I had never heard of. As I scanned the rest of the sheet realizing I didn’t know any of the answers my stomach churned. In panic I walked up to the professor’s desk. “Mrs. Sullivan; I think something is wrong I stuttered, feeling humiliated. She glanced at the test in my hand and then burst out laughing:

“Sorry Pete! I gave you the wrong test. That’s for my World Lit class!” Waves of relief swept over me as I went back to my desk with the test I was prepared for. Too many times in life I find I get in trouble by trying to be someone I am not. It is like purposely deciding to take the wrong test. Not one of us will pass the exam which God has prepared for someone else. But no matter what we are going through He has promised His help when we are taking our own test!

man in black and white polo shirt beside writing board

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