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North English |
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“The size of the hammer is directly proportional
to the hardness of the rock.”
Pastor Kirk Statler – North English Christian Church
October 2007
You ever find yourself wishing that life could go just a little bit easier? That just for a while, there was plenty of money to go around, no one got sick, the car didn’t need repairing; the dog stayed quiet, and your spouse could truly read your mind? Okay, you can wake up now – so much for our little daydream together!
But it doesn’t all have to be a dream, and more times than not, I’ve discovered that I am the variable that determines whether some of these desires ever become reality. I think it’s safe to say that some of these desires will never be fulfilled in this life, but others have a very real chance, depending upon my responses to what God allows in my life.
See, I continue to learn the truth of the statement at the top: the size of the hammer is directly proportional to the hardness of the rock. To me, that means that there are easier and harder ways to get to places, to accomplish goals, to achieve things in this life. Frequently, I feel God’s little “hammer taps” as they attempt to direct me towards or away from any number of things. These little taps say, “Be careful! Watch yourself here! Look over there! Think again before doing that!” But confident that I can handle whatever the little tap is addressing, I press right on with frightening regularity.
Because of God’s great love for me and you, He will not…He can not just sit idly by and watch us make a mistake that will harm us, others or both. Sooooooo…the taps get bigger, firmer, more frequent. And what happens from that point forward is almost entirely up to us. We can either pay attention, or by our lack of attention, stubbornness or plain old pride, compel God to use bigger and bigger hammers, requiring more and more force, and increasing levels of discomfort (believe it or not, completely compelled by His love). You see, I can be a pretty hard rock!
Now if we didn’t know God so well, this concept of Him with a hammer could be a frightening one! Imagine a person who didn’t love us with unlimited potential to harm us! This must be how a nail views a hammer! But God does love us – more than we can possibly imagine. And that love prevents Him from acting upon us for any other reason than love. His taps have only one intention: to build, shape and form us into something that benefits both us and everyone else around. So the next time life seems to be going harder than you want or remember, take a look at the “rock” of your will – for He will never “tap” harder than our own stubbornness demands – and He has promised only the best for those who trust His work in their life:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD.
“They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11
