The Originial Repurposer

 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." (2 Cor. 5:17 ESV)

Repurpose.

Google it.

You will find websites, blogs, photographs, magazines, books, facebook groups, articles, pinterest boards all dedicated to the idea of taking something old (or no longer usable as it is) and creating ways to recycle and reuse. From barn doors to Aunt Lucy's mismatched silverware, if it's old and has no current purpose, it can be reused and given a new purpose.

I've collected items for years to do this very thing. I have brick from my parent's backyard, tools from my grandparents farm which include a tire frame from a piece of equipment as well as old glass bottles my grandmother buried in her garden. (Yes, she said one day glass would be replaced by plastic and glass bottles would be a thing of the past. Who knew?  Well she did!) One day I hope to find a new use for each of these items, whether in my garden, kitchen, or garage. But for now they sit waiting.

Sometimes I feel like I am doing the same thing . . .

sitting,

waiting . . .

to be reused--

repurposed.

As life continues, I find myself being tossed about in the ebb and flow of it and lose sight of my purpose. Maybe I'm not the only one. But as I read God's Word I'm reminded of three important truths that help me know that God is not finished with me and has plans for me, either doing what I'm doing now, or doing something completely different in the future. Either way, He's got a plan to use me and He has plans for you too.

•  "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation," (2 Cor. 5:17 ESV).

• "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope," (Jer. 29:11).  

• "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ," (Phil. 1:6).

Yes, God did make me a new creature when He cleansed me from all of my sin when I accepted His Son Jesus. Yes, He does have plans to give me a future and a hope. And, yes, He did begin a good work in me and will bring it to completion.

All I have to do is trust.

So, I will keep my eyes focused on Him.

And as my grandmother's bottles still have the same garden soil on them from the day they were buried on her farm, I will sit with the markings of past experiences, good and bad, knowing the original repurposer has a plan for me.








All scripture from the English Standard Version (ESV).
All pictures courtesy of pixabay.com. 

Me Do It!

I'm not the kind of girl that can "kick back" and just let things take care of themselves.

Oh no . . . I'm more like the toddler who won't let you help them and looks up at you and says with defiance, "No! Me do it!"

For some reason, even as an adult, I want to look at those who are trying to help me and say, "No! Me do it!"


It's not that I think my way is always the right way, or that I can do it better, it's just that for some reason I feel as though I NEED to do it.

Ok, maybe sometimes I do think I can do it better.

It's just something that drives me.

But if I stay on this track too long, I become weary, discouraged, and unproductive. Thank goodness I have family and friends around me that understand me and will call me out if need be. I have a close relationship with them and because of this they can often see before I can that I'm over-doing it and bring it to my attention.

And they do.

But they aren't the only ones.

As a Christ-follower I have spent years developing a close relationship with Jesus Christ and through Him, a close relationship with my heavenly Father. When I accepted Jesus as my Savior, I received the Holy Spirit who teaches me, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit . . . He will teach you all things," (John 14:26 NASB).

He teaches me, AND He calls me out.

And it happened again today.

So . . . here I am praying, thinking, planning -- trying to work some things out.

I started out right. I prayed.

But I just couldn't stop there and let God do it. No, the "Me Do It!" attitude took flight.

Then I saw in God's Word today five words that jumped off the page:

". . . and He will do it . . ." (Psa. 37:5 NASB).

Bang . . . called out.

The things I have been praying for are things that I need to let HIM work out, not me. I really do need to kick back, and "let go and let God," do HIS thing.

Dear Father, 

Thank you for

 loving me enough to remind me 

that I'm not the one who is in control, 

and that it is not my duty to make things happen. 

Thank you for stopping me before I get in the way 

and maybe even hinder what you are trying to accomplish. 

As Jesus taught me to pray, "Your will be done," (Matt. 6:10).

In Jesus name I pray, 

Amen.

"Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it," (Psa. 37:5 NASB).

photo courtesy of morguefile.com and greyerbaby