“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
When I stop to think about this, I realize it is just ridiculous! One of the things I hate doing the most is refilling the hand soap bottle. I will pump every last drop out of that thing. I’ll even go as far as adding water to the last bit of soap inside trying to postpone the inevitable. Then, I’ll go farther than that! I’ll spend a few extra days pumping nothing but air before I finally go get the giant bottle my husband buys at Sam’s to refill it with.
As I begin filling up the empty bottle, for a little while things go smoothly. The soap is coming out of the big bottle in a nice, thin, steady stream. Then, out of the blue, this gigantic glob of soap comes out spilling soap all around the sides of the bottle. It runs down the sides before I can get it all scooped up. I’ll fuss every time while I’m scraping the sides and scooping that soap back into the hole in the top. (The hole that is way too small, I might add!) Then, I have to wash the bottle off and dry it before I can put it on the counter to be used.
This weekend was no different. I was cleaning my bathroom and knew the soap needed refilling. So I decided to prepare myself for the aggravation of refilling it. As usual, all of the above happened. However, there was one thing different this time.
As I was scooping the soap from around the sides of the bottle and putting it back inside, I started thinking about Jesus and me. I thought of how, like that empty bottle, I need to be refilled at times. The Lord showed me how I am like that liquid soap. For a while, I’ll go exactly where the Lord leads. Then, without warning, it all changes! I know which way I am supposed to go, but, instead of going that way, I’ll run all around and avoid going in the direction He wants me to go. I’ll get all messy as I make my journey down to the bottom.
Then, in love, here comes Jesus! He scoops me up, puts me back where I belong, then, He washes me clean so I don’t mess up the place where He wants to set me. It is at this time, He knows I am once again ready to be used!
What a wonderful Savior we have! He loves us although we are determined, at times, to go our own way. He loves us even though He has to clean us up because we have gotten messy going our own way. He allows us to do this in order to teach us to trust Him at all times and in everything. He wants us to lean on Him and not on our own selves. He is always there with us, even when we aren’t conscience of Him.
This week, let’s thank Him for His loving care of us. Then, as the Lord leads, let’s “scoop up” a wandering friend or loved one who, like that glob of liquid soap, has wandered off the right path. Let’s lovingly direct them back into the soap bottle – back on the right track.
Amen!!
ReplyDelete