Purpose of pen making: use

Every time I look at the inventory of pens that I have made, I experience a sense of frustration. Sitting on my desk is a case of writing instruments that look really nice. They are shiny and unique. They write really well, yet they are just sitting there. A pen can look beautiful and write well but it is of no use as long as it sits in a box. The reason I make pens is so that someone will use them. I want them to enjoy writing with it because it writes well, feels good in their hand, and because it is so unique. I want their friends to look at the pen and ask where they got it, who made it, and how they can get one.

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” God created us anew for a reason and purpose. He desires that we fulfill that purpose. In Romans 12:6-8, Paul talks about the way that God has gifted each of us differently and given us each a unique purpose. To each person he says, “Use the gift that God has given you.” It is His desire that we use our gifts for His purpose.

In the same way that a craftsman desires to see his handiwork be put to use, God desires that His workmanship be used for its intended purpose.

Meditation starters:
Do I know the purpose and gifting that God has for me?
Am I a useful tool in God’s hand or do I just look good sitting on the shelf?

Purpose of pen making: Sense of accomplishment

Why do I make pens? I find pen making to be a good diversion. I experience a sense of accomplishment working at the lathe. I receive a great deal of enjoyment and satisfaction from taking an antler, sometimes weathered and worn, and watching the beauty that comes as I chip away the exterior and shaping it into something new and beautiful; giving it a new purpose that it did not have before. All of life, with its troubles, worries and cares disappear as I lose myself in my craft. I feel such a sense of pride and satisfaction as each pen takes shape. It is extremely gratifying to have others express admiration for something that I have created.

Can you not sense that same feeling in God? In creation, as He completed each day's work, He would look at all that He created and say, “It is good.” He took pleasure in His work. And when He finished the week of creation as He made man, He looked at all He had made and said it was very good. You can almost hear His pride as He admired the work of His hands. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus.” I believe that God takes pride as He shapes us into new creatures. I believe He rejoices as He watches the “chips" fly as He removes the rough spots from our lives. I think all of heaven rejoices to see God’s new masterpiece take shape.

Meditation starter:
When do I experience a sense of pride and accomplishment in my life?
Do I allow God to experience a sense of pride from what He is trying to accomplish in my life?

When does the process end?

Many times my wife asks, “Are you ever going to quit making refinements to those pens?” She doesn’t understand why I am never satisfied. I have a strong desire for the pen to be the very best it can. If I see any imperfection, I desire to fix it. I will switch top barrels to achieve better color coordination, file or sand rough spots, or occasionally completely tear down and rework a pen if I feel that it needs to be done. My desire is not to just make a pen in which the owner can take pride, but one that will reflect well on me as the craftsman.

I believe that this is the same desire that God has for us. He continually works in our lives transforming us, shaping us, and “conforming us to the image of His son,” Romans 8:28-30. Philippians 1:6 says, “…that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” God will work on perfecting His children until the day He calls us to Himself, when we will be “changed in the twinkling of an eye,” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52.

Until that day we can be confident that the refining process will continue. That process will include trials, tribulation, and persecution. These are the tools that God most often uses to achieve His desired results in the life of His children.

Meditation starters:
Have I learned to see trials as God’s perfecting work in my life?Do I allow God to work as He chooses to shape my life as He sees fit?

The Process: Inspection and Rework

After I complete a pen I inspect it for imperfections and defects. I look to make sure that the colors, size, and texture of the top and lower barrels complement each other. I check to make sure that the top and lower barrels come together without gaping. I make sure that the tip and the end cap match up with the edges of the barrels. I feel each pen for rough spots. I check to make sure that the pen writes smoothly.

Many times I will disassemble the pen and put it back on the lathe because I am unhappy with some small flaw that needs correcting. I may need to get the cutting tools out again or I may just need to run through the sanding process once more. I may need to use the barrel cutter to even the cut of the barrel so that the tip, band or end cap do not gap when put together.

God does the same with us. As He works in our lives, He inspects us for those areas that need to be smoothed or rework. He is not opposed to disassembling us and putting us back on the lathe when necessary. He is like a loving Father who disciplines and corrects his child. Proverbs 3:11-12, “My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.”

Meditation Starters:
How is God working to make the needed refinements in my life?
Do I submit to God’s loving correction?

The Process: Assembly, part 3

The process of assembling the pen requires pressure to join the pieces together. The center band, tip, and the twist mechanism are attached to the lower barrel. The appropriate amount of pressure must be used when inserting the twist mechanism so that the precise depth is achieved. If the point does not extend from the tip to the correct length, the lower barrel is put into the press again. This process continues until the mechanism is properly seated. The cap nut is pressed into the upper barrel and the clip and upper cap are screwed into place. The upper barrel is slid onto the lower barrel and the pen is complete.

I am reminded that in every step of spiritual formation God uses pressure to bring His children into maturity. Think about all the great men of the Bible; how did they become great? God put them through trials and struggles. It was through persecution that God caused the early church to grow. God shaped Paul into one of the greatest fathers of the early church through the struggles which he faced. In 2 Timothy 2:10-12 he reminded Timothy about his persecutions and suffering. He ends this passage by saying that “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” This is how God shapes a man – through persecution. He knows how much pressure and how long to apply it to achieve His desired results.

Mediation starters:
What persecutions, trials, or struggles am I facing?
How is God using these to achieve His purpose in my life?

The Process: Assembly, part 2

Once the antler pieces have been suitably formed they are ready for assembly. The lower barrel is prepared with the tip and center band. The twist mechanism is inserted and the ink cartridge is screwed into the twist mechanism. The cap nut is pressed into the upper barrel and the clip and upper cap are screwed into place. The upper barrel is slid onto the lower barrel; the pen is complete. It is the pen pieces that have been inserted which transform the antler into a pen.

Titus 3:4-5 says, “(God) saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.’” It is what God does in us that transform us into something new. He inserts His Holy Spirit into our lives, through whom we become new creatures. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17-18, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” In Philippians 2:13 he reminds us that it is “God who works in (us) to will and to act according to his good purpose.” Ephesians 2:10 reminds us, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” It is His provision that enables us to perform the new function to which we have been called.

Meditation starters:
How am I demonstrating that God is at work in my life?
Am I allowing the Holy Spirit to cultivate His fruit in my life?

The Process: Assembly, part 1

It takes more than just an antler to make an antler pen. Something new must be introduced into the prepared antler; the tip, center band, clip, and upper cap must be attached. Most importantly the twist mechanism and ink cartridge must be inserted. Without these pen parts, you only have two polished, hollow pieces of antler. It is what is inserted into the antler that makes it a pen.

This makes me think of my own efforts as I have tried to live the Christian life. I have tried to clean up the outside by going to the right places and doing the right things. But until God changed my heart, I may have been polished on the outside but I was hollow on the inside. In Matthew 23 Jesus harshly criticizes the religious leaders. Eugene Peterson’s “The Message” says, “Be careful about following (the religion scholars and Pharisees). They talk a good line, but they don't live it. They don't take it into their hearts and live it out in their behavior. It's all spit-and-polish veneer.” Jesus’ term for them was whitewashed graves! Paul warns in 2 Timothy 3:2-5 about those who have “form of godliness but (deny) its power.”

A person trying to live the Christian life without Christ is like polished, hollow pieces of antler. They can no more become a Christian, apart from the introduction of Christ into their lives, than antlers can become pens without the introduction of the pen parts!

Meditation Starters:

Am I trying to live the Christian life in my own strength?
Am I like those who have a “form of godliness but deny its power”?

The Process: Selecting

*Sorry that this is out of order. It should have been included between "Seeking" and "Separation"

People often ask what kind of antler can be used in making a pen. The answer is, “any that I have!” It doesn’t matter if the antler is small or large, if it has a lot of character or not, or even if it has a few flaws in it. Every antler is different and that is what adds to the beauty of an antler pen. Because each antler is unique, every pen will be distinct from another.

Most hunters like to display their large trophy racks but what happens to the smaller racks that don’t look so good on the wall? They end up packed away and forgotten. The antlers which make the most beautiful pens are often those that are small or flawed in some way. These racks that the hunters aren’t proud of become the most unique pen. The flaws, size, and character of each antler contribute to the distinctiveness of the pen.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong… so that no one may boast before him.” God takes things that are of no use to others and turns them into masterpieces for His glory.

Meditation starters:
How does God make something useful and beautiful from my flaws?
How does God see value in my life when others see little?

The Process: Sanding

After the shaping is complete, while the pieces are still spinning on the lathe, I follow a 13 step sanding process. The process smoothes, polishes, and perfects the pen barrels; you can no longer call them antlers because they have been shaped into something new. The sanding process begins with a very course sand paper to smooth off the rough spots. Each progressive step uses a finer grade of paper, ending with a very fine grade that finishes the piece. The proper amount of pressure and time must be used in each step. Too much pressure or time will mar the finish.

In 1 Peter 1:6-7 the Apostle Peter says, “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.” God not only uses trials to shape us but also to refine our faith. I can be confident that “he who began a good work in (me) will carry it on to completion” Philippians 1:6. God is the Master Craftsman; He knows how long and how much pressure it will take to complete His work in me. Job 23:10, “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”

Meditation starters:
Am I facing trials that God is using to refine my faith?
Will I trust the Master craftsman to skillfully work in my life?

The Process: Shaping

Once the antler has been cut to the appropriate size, drilled, and the brass tube inserted; it is placed on the lathe. The antler is attached to a rod on the lathe by a nut that holds the pieces secure. The rod spins turning the antler very quickly. While the antler is spinning I use a cutting tool to begin to whittle it into shape. I use many different cutting tools to achieve the desired results; large blades which chip big pieces of antler, curved blades to shape, and smaller blades to refine the shape. I frequently stop and start the lathe to check the progress and continue the process until I am satisfied with the outcome. I desire to shave the antler to the appropriate size with out taking away its uniqueness.

This is the stage of Christian formation where I become the most impatient. I don’t like the pressure that is applied to hold me to the lathe. I get impatient with the starting and stopping of God’s lathe. I don’t always like what God cuts out of my life nor do I like the method that He chooses to use. In James chapter 1 we are told to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” God uses trials to shape and mold my life into what He desires me to become. He will not stop His process until He is satisfied that I am “mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Meditation starters:
What does God want to remove from my life so that I can be mature and complete?
Will I patiently allow God to perform His work in my life to His satisfaction?

The Process: Drilling and Filling

The tine must be drilled to make room to insert the pen mechanism. The hole through the antler is filled with a brass tube, which will serve as the channel through which all of the necessary work can be performed in turning an antler tine into a pen.

The hole reminds me of the change that is made in the life of the believers. One of the first signs of new life is the things that we stop doing; the things that are drilled out of our lives. When Christ comes into our lives “old things pass away and all things become new.” In Ephesians 4:17-31, the Apostle Paul tells us not to live as the Gentiles, his term for the old way of life from which we have been separated. In verses 22 and 23 we are told to “throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.”

The brass tube that is inserted into the hole in the antler reminds me of the Holy Spirit, who is given to us at salvation. It is the Holy Spirit through which God will work to form us into the image of His Son.

I must allow God to drill out the old things in my life and fill me with His Spirit in order for Him to form me into something new and useful.

Meditation starters:
What old things need to be drilled from my life to make room for the new?
Am I in any way hindering the work of the Holy Spirit through the things that I allow in my life?

The Process: Separation

The individual tines of the antler must be separated from the rack and cut to a suitable length for pen making. The process involves cutting and separation; until the tine is removed from the rack it cannot be turned on the lathe. The tine must be separated from everything that it has known, from all of its peers, and from its source of identity. It has been chosen for a new purpose and will been given a new identity. It cannot cling to the comfort of the rack or it will not become new.

Scripture teaches the principle of separation. God tells His people to “Come out from among them and be separate.” Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” In order for the new to come the old must pass away. God will not work in my life as long as I cling to my old identity, relationships, and way of living. Just like the tine must be removed from the rack before I can work on it, I must be separated from my old life so that God can perform His work.

Meditaion starters:
Has there been a time when I allowed God to separate me from my old way of life?
In what ways am I hindering God’s work by trying to cling to the comfort of my old life?

The Process: Seeking

The process of making an antler pen requires antlers with which to work. I live in Michigan, which is a big deer hunting state. Many of my friends and family are avid deer hunters. What do deer hunters do with all the racks that they have accumulated over their years of hunting? Some make trophy racks that will be mounted and displayed but many of the smaller ones end up in boxes stored in basements, attics, or sheds. Another source for antlers is deer farms. Deer shed their antlers every year and deer farms have a surplus of antlers that they are willing to sell. Deer processors and taxidermists are other places that have antlers available. Despite the ample supply, the antlers don’t just show up; I must seek, find, and obtain them.

That is just what God did for me. In Luke 15, Jesus tells three stories: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. All of the stories are parables of how God searches for those who need to be found. In Luke 19:10 Jesus clearly explains His purpose for coming to earth, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

I am so glad that God, in His mercy and grace, did not wait for me to come to find Him. When I was lost, worthless, and felt forgotten He actively sought me; just like antlers collecting dust in some forgotten location.

Meditation starters:
When have I felt lost, worthless, and forgotten?
How have I experienced God’s desire and loving pursuit in my life?

God's Process

Many times I pray, “Are you sure you know what you are doing, God?” I do not understand the process that He is using as He works in my life. At times it is uncomfortable, difficult, and beyond my ability to understand. Isaiah 55:8-9, “`For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. `As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’”

The process of making antler pens involves: seeking and selecting antlers, separating the parts of the antler for further processing, shaping the pieces of antler into pen barrels, and assembling them into a pen. The antler is dramatically changed by what is taken away through cutting, drilling, carving, and sanding. The antler is transformed by the pen parts that are pressed into it.

The process is not complete until the pen belongs to someone who will use it to perform the function for which it was designed, writing! A beautiful pen is of no value sitting in a box in the workshop.

In the following meditations I would like to share the thoughts that God impressed upon me regarding the process of spiritual formation. I pray that you will be challenged by the “Lessons from the Lathe.”

Meditation Starters:
What circumstances am I facing that I do not understand?
How could God be working through this situation to equip me for His purpose?

God's Object Lesson

God told Jeremiah, “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message,” (Jeremiah 18:2.) The message that God had for Jeremiah would be delivered through an object lesson of a potter working at his wheel. Through observing the way the potter handled the clay, Jeremiah would learn how God works in the lives of His people.

This year I find myself off work and on disability due to a series of unexpected health issues. During my convalescence my uncle taught me to make pens from deer antlers. While developing the skill of crafting antler pens, God gave me my own object lesson. Just as God spoke to Jeremiah through the potter’s wheel, He spoke to me through my lathe. God spoke very clearly about the process He uses to shape a man.

God desires that the lessons He teaches one individual be passed on to others. Moses, when he reminded the Children of Israel of God’s covenant in Deuteronomy 4:9, told them to remember how God delivered them from Egypt and to be sure to pass the lessons onto their children and grandchildren. Paul, writing in 1 Corinthians 10 about this period of Israel’s history told the Corinthians that these events were written down for our example. I must be faithful to share the message God has given to me.

Meditation starters:
What object lesson has God been developing in my life?
How have I used this lesson to encourage others?