HSBC Coffeebreak Devotional
"If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work."
2 Timothy 2:21
Have you ever had one of those days? I seem to have my fair share, but recently I experienced one of the worst. Not a major disaster or life changing event but just a "I don't think I'm going to make it" kind of day.
"Puddles" is the best description of this day. I was supposed to meet with someone in authority to discuss the tension in our relationship and what I needed to do to change it. Today of all days, I needed to do my devotion time. My daughter was crying even before getting out of bed because I told her we needed to study spelling before school, since she and Daddy forgot to do so the night before. (Puddle #1) My son was defiant, lost his temper and yelled at me in frustration. I, of-course, lost my temper and went upstairs slamming doors. I wanted to puddle, but did not yet because I didn't have time - we had to get to school. After prayer and apologies, I dropped them off at school, and thirty minutes later I got a call that I needed to go back because the book fair was closing and we hadn't bought the promised books yet. I'm in sweats, no-makeup, bed head hair - you get the picture. I don't want to go - so much for a devotional. An hour later, I get home and suspect my refrigerator is not working. This was confirmed by the puddle of berry juice and meat blood in the bottom of the freezer. Yuck! (Puddle #2)
While I quickly transfer the food to the garage freezer, I start the soup I promised to bring to that meeting I'm now really not looking forward to. I also needed to shower, so I put the soup on low and ran upstairs for a quick rinse. As often happens, my shower time became my time with God. I was stewing over what might be said at the meeting, how I was to respond, why such a difficult day, you get the picture. Unfortunately, I wasn't listening for God's answers, I just wanted for Him to hear me. By the time I got done with my whining and the last puddle drained out of the shower, my soup had boiled over, WAY over, and now a puddle of tomato soup sat inside my stove top. (#3) I was on the verge of tears, but it was time to go and I didn't want to be late, so I salvaged what soup I could and packed up to go. The meeting was even more painful than expected and resulted in further puddles. (#4, 5, and 6) I was more emotional than my norm but I attributed it to the events of the last 3 hours. However, I needed to hear the words said. I needed to hear them with a softened heart and realize my mistakes without being defensive.
In hindsight, I believe God used the events and "puddles" of the morning to get my pride out of the way and soften my heart. I learned some things I needed to do in consideration of others that without this meeting, I would have never recognized on my own. So I guess the day was in a sense "life-changing."
Isaiah 64:8 says, "But now, O Lord, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand." Having thrown a few pots I understand that it is impossible to work with hard clay but that is how it always starts out. You knead it, beat it, and massage it, until it is moldable. Then you put it on the wheel and you add lots of water to soften it until it is shapeable and you carefully put both hands around it to gently shape and mold it. Sometimes you have to take a tool and scrape off unwanted clay. As it becomes more the shape you desire, it also becomes increasingly important to keep it centered or it will collapse and you have to start all over. Always there is a puddle of water in the wheel well to keep it soft.
As God shapes me into the perfect servant vessel, sometimes He holds me carefully in His gentle hands, but sometimes He uses less than gentle circumstances to soften and prepare me for the next step. May I become a vessel of honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.
Written by
Lanie White
