Fixing the chair
Proverbs 3:5-8:- Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on
your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make
straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away
from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (ESV)
One of the things you find out about building a computer is the necessity to
load up the software and reinstall all the old files. As a result my office
chair, which I had acquired from work as unwanted, has been - given my bodily
pre-disposition - under some heavy use.
Anyway after a concerted effort of several hours sitting at my desk it became
evident why this chair was thrown out, as my aching body will gladly testify.
So, having finished the computer assembly, and whilst I was in the Mister-Fix-it
mode, I attempted to fix the chair.
I had a bright idea! I could use some large car wash sponges that were about
four inches thick to pad the chair seat and make it more forgiving to the user.
Oh how wrong can one be! Having re-upholstered the chair I found that they were
insufficient, they squashed down into hard lumps and ironically made the seat
even more painful to sit on for a length of time!
As I turned the chair upside down to reupholster it with some denser sponge, it
occurred to me that there was something else nibbling away at my consciousness.
I reviewed my task and realized that I had attempted a quick fix because I had
just wanted it done, now!
This event suddenly spoke to me about my not resting in God. I have been tempted
to want to work my own quick fix in the world. I now realize that this has been
because I am impatient for me to fix my circumstances — now! It betrays a lack
of trust in His love for me and my circumstances. I hope I have re-learnt that
God wants the job to reseat my life done properly, with Him central in the
process.
PRAYER: LORD, here we are once more hard-pressed by the world to conform to its
desires and expectations, to put ourselves outside of Your will. Please forgive
us our sins, our lack of trust and patience and reinstall into our hearts Your
joy of fellowship, praise and worship because we come in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
Rod Marshall rmarshall@glos.ac.uk
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
Thanks to http://daily.presbycan.ca