“Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” Isaiah 64:8
I used to wonder so much why God put us in certain places in our lives, not that I still don't ask him why a lot, but in my heart I know that we just have to pass through certain events, certain times to be "carved" or "molded" into what he needs us to be. And we so often make it so much harder on ourselves by making bad choices or rash decisions. I know during the last few years, when I had the resolve to just hang in there and trust him, everything resolved itself much more calmly and logically. But when I took the reigns and made rash decisions or acted out in emotion, my problems compounded so much that I really regretted my choices. But after the dust settled, I could see that he had made me into a stronger believer, a better example to my kids and peers, and a much more humble me. It is so wonderful to draw on life to see parallels to a Godly life. I need those visual, hands-on examples to see God's word, to map out his plans for me.
When I was thinking about buying my house, the owners asked if they could stay around that day. It was very hot and at their age, I didn’t blame them for not wanting to leave their comfortable home while the realtor and I visited. I agreed that they could stay as long as they didn’t mind meeting me. While taking the tour of the property, we went to the garage in the back yard. The husband was in his work shop -- carving something out of a piece of cherry wood. He was so skillfull. It was such a picture...I'll never forget, yet some would have thought nothing of it. He had his cane propped up against his saw table. In 95o heat, he was dilligently working on the piece with precision of a much younger man. He spoke so gently as he explained his craft, as if a loud voice would somehow disrrupt the process. The sawdust floated everywhere in the sunlight and he was covered in a whisp of red powder. The floor was carpeted with a variety of uneven, dusty colored saw-dust particles and fractions of discarded wood and bark. He turned the wood so delicately, never taking his eyes away from his work to look at me, but constantly speaking to me. This was the last piece he was to ever carve. He took this throw away piece of wood that had a large crack in it and several knots and was shaping it slowly and gently in to an incredible piece of art that would last a lifetime. He was making a large bowl. The grain and imperfection of the wood only made it more and more beautiful as he worked . I could have watched him all day, yet I know he needed his privacy to do this last work of his hands. He finished that bowl in the next few days.
His wife called me a few days after we closed on the house and said she and her husband wanted to go over the house with me, to make sure I knew where everything was. They treated me like a grand-daughter more than the next owner of this house. They were patient and careful in telling me all the details of their home. Then, they gave me that bowl. Cecil had 'signed' the bottom and written the wood type. The character of the wood was still very much a part of the finished piece, with a visible knot and many grain lines weaving through out the red wood. I cried. It was like the passing of the torch, or a gift of acceptance, that they knew they had to move on, but they were entrusting their life's long work to me. Or that maybe, they saw the hand of God in me, too. What ever their heart was feeling, I felt so blessed by another example of God's hands working with me to bring me through valleys so that I could rise up to walk with him and better serve him..we are made by the Master....and only through his molding and making will we ever be able to serve him as he intends...the Lord takes each and every knott hole and crack, each imperfection and rough quality and shapes us into the creation he intended, we are made into his likeness, the work of the Master's Hand.
No comments:
Post a Comment