In the hands of the Master

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Romans 6:6)

I am so glad I get to crucify the old man. I get the privilege each day to put to death the works of the flesh. I don’t always succeed, I must confess, but I can see some of the old ways in which I used to live falling away as the grave takes its toll on my old nature. Sometimes life helps me in this – with financial issues, health issues, life issues, etc. No matter the impetus, I have the privilege of yielding myself to Christ.

I was reminded in a teaching I heard a few days ago of the process of carving a statue. The artist will sit and look at a block of stone for hours, visualizing what he wants to bring forth from it. Each stone is unique in its layering and in its composition. Just so is the creation that comes forth. It may be massive (like the carving of David) or it may be small – a bird, etc. The make of the stone and its formation dictates the limitations and possibilities inherent within it. And it is the pleasure of the artist to release that creation from the confines of the entire block. He or she will sit patiently with a hammer and chisel, tapping away, chipping away all the extra, superfluous materials that don’t belong to the vision he or she holds in their mind.

As I yield myself to the Master Creator, then, I allow Him to gently (and sometimes rather abruptly) remove those parts of me that don’t fit His vision. At first the strikes are strong to remove the excess, but then as He gets in to the intricate details the work of the chisel is more delicate and precise. Praise God for His vision for my life and for His wisdom in handling the chisel and hammer. He knows the amount of pressure I can take and the blows I can handle. He is careful to not overstrike, thus ruining the vision, but He is very thorough in His work.

My job is to sit still while He works out His plan for me. I have visions of my own. I have dreams of my own. I have plans of my own. Yet I, like Christ, pray, “Father, if it be Thy will… nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done.” I am secure within my block of granite. I feel safe in here. Nothing can get to me because I have built up these layers of protection so I can’t get hurt anymore. Yet He knows that to bring Him glory, I must be revealed, I must be exposed, I must be vulnerable. It’s difficult to allow yourself to be stripped away, to have the walls you have so carefully built torn down. I’ll admit it. Even as a pastor it is hard to open my hands and heart to Him sometimes and allow Him to take away those areas and things to which I have clung for years. Still, that I may profit in and for Him and that He may receive the glory for my very existence, I MUST release myself totally and completely to the hands of the Master. Sometimes He gives us a glimpse of what He is doing, other times He does not. My vision may see myself in one way, yet He desires quite another. How awesome it is to be able to trust Him!

But the chisel hurts. It hurts to lose “friends” and companions along the Way. I have had many fall away (some recently) because they no longer fit the vision God has for me. Their design, their purpose, their function is totally cross-grained from mine. They are not bad people, it’s just that God is sending us in different directions and fulfilling different missions. For example using a military application: the British military uniform (used to) include a scarf to be worn around the neck and body to keep warm. It serves that purpose quite well (I used to have one years ago). It was designed specifically for that purpose and was included in the overall uniform package. Yet, although it was part of the uniform and served that vision (if you will), it wouldn’t stop a bullet. That vision was given to the armor-proof vest. Both were the same color pattern, both belonged to the same soldier, yet each was designed for a different use. Depending upon the circumstances, a soldier could wear either of the two or both. The scarf was not discarded because it wasn’t bullet-resistant, neither was the vest discarded because it didn’t keep the soldier warm. Each had a purpose and a time. So it is with us. We are of One Body (as believers), yet we are different. We are of one overall purpose – the performance and function of battle. When victory is won, it is because each of us performed our duties well and worked together properly and in order. So it is with the stone and chisel. I may see myself as the bullet-proof vest, yet God needs me to be the scarf – soft and warm. Both serve the mission, just in different ways. Only once the chisel has completed its painful job may I begin to see what God has designed me for.

Today, my friend, each of us is facing different circumstances. It may be a positive thing – a potential promotion at our job, a pay raise, moving our families to another location, a pending vacation we have long anticipated, etc. It may, on the other hand, be a negative thing – loss of our job, decline in our heath, loss of a loved one, or whatever. God has a plan, a vision. All He asks of us is to climb up on His working table and allow Him to begin removing those parts of our lives that (no longer) fit His vision for our lives. Yes, sometimes the chisel may strike a nerve. Other times (to use doctor’s language) we may feel a little pressure. But rest assured, the Master is at our side, carefully and precisely performing His will in our lives. Trust Him. Be open and vulnerable to Him. Yield to Him.

Be blessed.