|
PATCHING UP THE OLD
Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.
"No one sews a patch of un-shrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins." MATTHEW 2:19-21
Ok, God has been giving me this verse for the last week, What Spiritual Lesson was I supposed to learn from this. Sigh, I guess I have to meditate on the verse God gave me so I can finish this.
So, I was asking God. [what are the three rules of Ministry, Katy? 1) Ask God, 2)Ask God, 3)Ask God.]
I been making small quilted blankets for nursing homes lately. I been sewing for many years so I pretty much knew what I was doing. But, someone gave me a whole bunch of new fabric and batting so I made some blankets for some friends also. The whole time I was working on them I had a nagging feeling I was forgetting something. I realized that using new fabric-whose fraying factors were as yet; unknown- was going to make a problem with the older [already washed] fabrics I usually use, but it never occurred to me that the new ones were going to shrink so much! So, what was wrong? I forgot to Ask God. But, I was just sewing, right? No, I do everything as service to God.
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love. CORINTHIANS 16:13-14
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. ECCLESIASTES 9:10 Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. ECCLESIASTES 11:6
Still If I were to inquire of God in the first place, I would find more success in my endeavors.
Now I know that the original verse refers to Not expecting the old religious traditions to insure a Godly character, or one that is acceptable to God. But I just bet that if I inquiring of God before beginning a project, and then working as hard as I can, I be successful at least for God agendas.
The old thinking is, if I that what is necessary. But God says "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." PROVERBS 14:12 Which leads me to PROVERBS 12:15 The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.
The best advice I can listen to is God advice, if I ask God first then I much more likely to think of the factors I need to know to do my job right. Then I not putting new cloth on old and when things are washed they don come up with surprises, not good surprises anyway. Lord, I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps. Correct me, LORD, but only with justice-- not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing. Help me to bless others in this world, Help me to do your work, Your way, to do it right the first time, to use new cloth on new cloth, tyo do Your will, regardless of convention face="Comic Sans MS"> In Jesus Name, Amen.
|
|
