UGLY, USELESS METAL IN THE HANDS OF THE MASTER-DIVINE BLACKSMITH
"O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.” ~Psalm 16:2
"Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Lord has performed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, that He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks.”For he says: “By the strength of my hand I have done it, And by my wisdom, for I am prudent... Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it? As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up, Or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood!" ~Isaiah 10:12-13,15
It is as if, before Christ worked in us, we were ugly, useless pieces of metal that He mysteriously chose to fashion into instruments for His pleasure, purpose, and mercy. He hammers the crookedness and the various bends in our lives, not just hammering one side but both, that we may be balanced, straight, and true.
Many times, if not then at all times, God miraculously and wondrously fashions many of us into His hammers and gives us life and guidance to be His instruments upon the lives of His other instruments.
If you see yourself as one of (the many of) God's hammers, take heed you do not differ from the way of Your Creator, from the way of the Divine Blacksmith. He was, and to this very present moment still is, longsuffering and patient with you, taking His providential time to work out the flaws from your life, perfecting you, making you more balanced and glorious to be used for His ways and purpose. Will you, then, after having been made mercifully glorious and useful for His purpose, then differ from His heart and beat your fellow man, His other instruments, with prideful zeal, prideful passion, rather than with longsuffering humility, loving care, and understanding compassion?
The Divine Blacksmith was and still is, patient and patiently-faithfully working out your flaws, perfecting that which concerns you. You, therefore, should continue learning from the Master; go and do likewise.
"For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" ~1 Corinthians 4:7
"Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed..." ~James 5:16
"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." ~Ephesians 5:1-2
YOU ARE READING
Different Things God is teaching Me
SpiritualWhen God shows His love, mercy, forgiveness, longsuffering, and grace towards you...it shouldn't stop with you. You are destined to pass it on to others and reflect faithfulness and devotion back to Him as the Divine Spouse. Cover Art by Maria Oosth...
