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?
Welcome to my blog!
I have often been amazed at how someone can take something of no value to anyone else and transform it into some beautiful piece of art or something that is useful and valuable. What had been discarded, lost, or forgotten takes on a new life in the hands of the craftsman that sees, not the trash that it is, but the value and potential of what it can become. My uncle has always been good at seeing the value where others cannot. He looks at a deer antlers and sees pens, stands, and jewlery. He has been crafting exquisite writing instruments, which are more a work of art than a pen, for the past five years. His pens have sold at the Thomas Kincaid & Terry Redlin Galliers, fine jewlery stores, and boutiques throughout the United States.
I have been fortunate enough that my uncle has taught me his trade. Working at the lathe I have many quite moments to reflect. It is here that God impresses upon me His procee of shaping and molding a man. God sees in me the value that He created me to have, when all I see is failure and worthlessness. He loving works in my life to take away everything that hinders me from being all that He desires. He skillfully sands and polishes until I shine with His glory. And ultimately, when He is done, I find new meaning and purpose that I have not know before.
Each time I look at one of my pens I can't help but thank God for shaping me into something beautiful! I hope you enjoy reading "Lessons from the Lathe".
I have been fortunate enough that my uncle has taught me his trade. Working at the lathe I have many quite moments to reflect. It is here that God impresses upon me His procee of shaping and molding a man. God sees in me the value that He created me to have, when all I see is failure and worthlessness. He loving works in my life to take away everything that hinders me from being all that He desires. He skillfully sands and polishes until I shine with His glory. And ultimately, when He is done, I find new meaning and purpose that I have not know before.
Each time I look at one of my pens I can't help but thank God for shaping me into something beautiful! I hope you enjoy reading "Lessons from the Lathe".
Saturday, March 29, 2008
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