The Vineyard
Dear Friends,
We were getting one of the boys showers ready this past weekend with a piece of glass that was to shield the shower from the rest of the bathroom. I called the glass company and asked them about installing it and they assured me that anyone (i.e. me) could install it.
It was simply a piece of glass and two pieces of channeling. You glued the bottom channel piece onto the floor and long piece onto the wall and then slipped the glass in. Simple! Or so they said.
After an hour of fiddling with the silicon caulk and a level I was finally ready to let it dry and then install the glass the next day. It was perfect! So the next day the eldest boy I and carefully pickup up the glass and slid it into the bottom piece of channeling and then slip the glass towards the long piece of channeling attached to the wall. It did not work. The wall was not “square” so there was a full inch gap between the wall and the glass. It was a total waste of time. I now had to call in professionals to do what I should never have attempted by myself. I have no idea how to make an un-square wall, “square”.
But two things did occur to me. The wall looked straight and square. I would never have guessed that it could have been one full inch off plumb in less than six feet. Second, I should have made sure it was level, plumb and square before I began my work! And as I thought about all of that, I had to laugh at myself and say, “No wonder God has not “cut me loose to change the world” yet! In my own mirror, I look pretty straight, “righteous”, spiritually plumb and morally “in square”. But that’s only if I compare my life to the lives of others—-particularly those that I know I am a little ahead of in these matters! But there’s only one “level life” that I can compare my life to if I want to be spiritually plumb—-and that of course is Jesus Christ. And the more I dwell on imitating Him the less impatient I will be in God giving me “great” assignments or question why He does make my life easier or do things as quickly and abundantly as I think He should. If I am honest, I would admit that I know I am not yet where I desire to be in terms of being “straight”, “level” and “plumb”.
But the good news is that He is able to complete the job within me. And He will bring me to that place if I yield to Him to do the wrecking, re-building and shaving required.
Nothing on earth or heaven can prohibit Him from completing this “sanctuary” for God within my life……..except for me. Do the work required Lord Jesus. Make me whole and complete.
Warmly
Dean Barley
The Vineyard
Dean@VineyardCamp.com
336 351 2070
919 360 8493 (Mobile)
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