Can’t keep a good man down. He may be 73, but he is building
the scaffolding, positioning the roofing ladders, climbing up on to the slates
to remove each one, painstakingly slowly. One by one, the force he exerts releases
the nails and frees the slate intact, to be used by the slater when it’s all being
put back together again.
As the slates come off, rotten wood is exposed. The sarking
boards, the roof trusses, ancient wood: much of it rotten. Decaying. Left
unrenewed, they would have given way eventually, collapsing inwards.
Much of our time is spent in maintaining that outward
appearance. We are fine. Yes, it’s tough just now, but we are strong, soaring
even. But sometimes, underneath the façade, we are not so fine. We are eaten up
by the woodworm of self-doubt, of hurt, of anxiety and fear. We need to expose
this inner decay to the light of Christ, so that he can renew us from the
inside out.
I think this is a lifelong challenge. Once I start assuming
I’m just fine, I discover that actually, there is a bit in there which is about
to collapse.
Today may I be transformed by the renewing power of the Holy
Spirit, surrendered totally to Jesus so he can work in me to effect change that
is lasting, based on who he is and what he has done for me.
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