“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” 2 Corinthians 4:16
Yeah… those are mine! Had it been just my shoes, it probably would not have been so tragic. But the shape of the shoes had somehow morphed into an image of my body, soul and spirit. Weeks later, I found I have been fighting a war that I didn’t know was already long in process, and one I have been losing. Having been led by the Spirit to this verse, I realize I had failed to follow the first part!
It was a miracle of sorts. I don’t make it a habit to climb up on my roof and check it out. But after a small leak in the ceiling had been pointed out, I begrudgingly got a ladder, climbed up and found… you guessed it… MORE work to do! The flat part, made up of rolled roofing material, had degraded to the point where it was a miracle it hadn’t failed. And the only one to do the work was ME!
The Elastomeric roofing material was about $100 for a 5 gallon bucket. I bought 2. My neighbor graciously offered to help, since he was retired and wanted something to do. I was just tired! By the time we rolled about 10 feet, he pointed to our feet where the splatter had made an impression! It was a good thing I had worn old shoes! Bad, cuz I had to wear them to the store to buy more material!
Sometime early in the Merry Christmas Holy-days I subconsciously realized I have not really been very merry! And not that I don’t have good reasons! Having never been this old or in this physical condition, I am still tackling everything that comes out of a sense of duty. Sooner or later, with burning the candle at both ends, SOMETHING had to give! So Merry just sort of moved out!
Over these weeks I have read the Word and the locations and subjects have pointed more to a Jackson Pollock painting than a Leonid Afremov. Making no sense, it was easier to simply close the Bible and move on. And somewhere in a silent light, with my spirit down… I called and He answered. One of those verses pointed to this one where I COMPLETELY missed the main point!
Having been involved in Church all my life, I have seen tough times, desert times, hard, sad, difficult and seemingly empty times. If my calling were to make everyone’s day, including my own, miserable… I could close here, having done a wonderful job! But it is not. The Spirit wants love, Joy and Peace to abound from my heart and Spirit. That means NOT LOSING HEART! I missed that!
So on this official ‘everybody back to work and school day,’ it is a Joy to be reminded and remember that I am supposed to operate in HIS Spirit and strength! Not my own. And to remember that, as an old preacher said, “Friday may be here… but Sunday’s a comin!” Jesus never called me to be a Superman. He called me to be HIS man and to look forward to a Merry Merry New Year in HIM!
Have YOU forgotten, or been beaten or worn down? Maybe, like me, you might consider changing places with Jesus and let Him live THROUGH you! I’m going to give it a go!
