Let’s talk wrinkles. No, I’m not talking wrinkles on the face, even though my face is supporting a few new ones with each passing year. I’m talking about wrinkles in clothes and life.

Saturday morning I was standing at the ironing board psyching myself up to do a job I despise. In the summer I rarely iron, the only exception is the clothes I’ll be wearing to church. Every other day of the week usually sees me sporting a wrinkled T-shirt and shorts. School starts in a week and I will have to iron a lot more clothes a lot more often. It was while thinking that "pleasant" thought and filling the iron with distilled water that God provided me with an epiphany. I am the iron, the distilled water represents the Spirit of God, and the cotton shirt that is a mass of wrinkles is my life.

Let me try to explain how God unfolded it for me. I could maybe get the wrinkles out of the shirt even if I didn’t fill the iron with distilled water and use the steam function, but it would take a lot of effort and time on my part and the end result would be a half-way decent job at best. And knowing me I would get frustrated and iron in twice as many wrinkles as I was trying to iron out.

When I do use the distilled water and the steam function on the iron it takes less time, effort and there is less frustration for me. I’m not saying there is no effort, or no time applied or that there aren’t still frustrating moments, but the experience is much easier because I am using the resources that are there waiting to be used. The same can be said about whom I let control my life. When I try to be in control I am frustrated more times than not. I create more "wrinkles" while trying to "iron out" my problems when I don’t take them to God first. When I go to God first and get his "steam" (His Spirit) to fill me up it is so much easier to deal with the wrinkles of life and to let God work in His time. God is just waiting for me to turn to Him. Just like the steam function on the iron He is there whether in my humanness I go to Him or try to do it on my own. This is a blessing from God. Hey, God works in mysterious ways! If He can teach me about the infilling of His spirit while I’m ironing, He can teach me (anyone) about the wonderful gifts He has for me (anyone) at any moment of any day.

Funnel or Strainer?
By Jennifer Silver 

     Last night I was meeting with my weekly Bible study group.  We were reviewing the week’s lesson, which was focusing on forgiveness and patience.  You know those nice, easy, and comfortable lessons to deal with.  NOT!  Well, in Beth Moore’s lesson she used the parable of the servant who was forgiven a large debt, yet he, the servant, would not forgive a fellow servant a small debt.  She states, “Patience is the vessel through which God pours his mercy.  Mercy is fueled by forgiveness.” (Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit, page 120).  I had done this lesson earlier in the week, but last night God hit me over the head letting me know that too often I act as a strainer instead of a funnel for His forgiveness.  I act as a strainer when I say I forgive someone, but in my heart I have not truly forgiven.  I hang on to the hurts and just let a little forgiveness trickle out.  He is also letting me know that patience is not counting to fifteen instead of ten before I blow my stack.  God is showing me and letting me know that He will be with me during this growing process.  He is also letting me know this growth may take a while – to be patient.  God has a sense of humor doesn’t He?  He knows the right way and the right time. I need to be a funnel to forgive fully.  I don’t need to be Holy Spirit Jr., judging everything, and everyone, fixing everything and everyone.  I just need to follow the One and Only holy Spirit when He leads me in forgiving and asking for forgiveness.  

Colossians 3:12-13

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”  

Scars
By Jennifer Silver 

     According to Webster’s II College Dictionary “scar” is defined as: 1. A mark left on the skin after a surface injury or wound has healed 2. A lingering sign of mental or physical injury or damage 3. A former attachment, as of a leaf to a stem 4. A dent, or disfiguring mark caused by use or contact.

     I have been playing around with the idea of writing a devotional based on all of my physical scars (which are many due to my lack of physical grace as a child).  But when I sat done at the computer this morning I felt led to get out the dictionary and look up the meaning of scar.  “Come on Lord.  Everyone knows what a scar is.  Why do I need to look it up?  I’m an English teacher for pity’s sake.  I don’t need to look this word up.”  Well, I was finally obedient and opened the dictionary.  God is good!  He opened me to a deeper message.  Let me share what He showed me through each definition.

     Definition one. God has pointed out the word surface to me.  I’m to let the hurt heal and the scar should just be a reminder not a definer.  The scar can remind me that a certain activity can hurt me, but the hurt or scar doesn’t define who I am as a person.

     Definition two.  When I originally had the idea for this devotional, I was focusing on physical scars not mental or emotional ones. But mental and emotional scars more often than not are more painful, take longer to heal, and the scar tissue left doesn’t mark true healing, but a shield we use to protect ourselves.

     Definition three.  I almost left out this definition, but God told me to include it.  After I included it I paused and God filled my mind with the lesson Jesus taught his disciples about abiding in the Vine.  He is the vine and we are the branches.  How cool is that?  I don’t mind my scars, but having a scar because I am a leaf no longer attached to Jesus’ stem is a scar I do not want.

     Definition four.  The word disfiguring in this definition bothers me.   I was a danger prone child!  Regular trips to the emergency room were common place occurrences.  (I must be honest here.  I must be experiencing a second childhood in my late thirties because the past two summers have included a couple emergency room visits.)  Before I ever started kindergarten I already had a few “distinguishing marks”.  As I look back I’m glad that I received my marks of a rough and tumble life early because I am not self-conscious of my scars. I do not feel “disfigured”.  As a matter of fact the big scar above my right knee makes a good hem line marker.  But how many because of society’s focus on beauty feel disfigured either physically or emotionally.  I am thankful Jesus has scars of His own.  The scars He willingly accepted for you and for me.  If you abide in Christ you are not disfigured.  His scars cover you.  Amen!

John 20:27

Then He said to Thomas, “Put your fingers here and see my hands.  Put your hand into the wound in my side.  Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”