The Secret of Creating

It seems so simple. I look at the block of wood and see something inside of it. In this case I see a chain. Then the process is very simple from that point on. I take away what isn’t a chain and leave what is a chain – then I have a chain. And it was all inside of the block of wood.

In the photo you can see the recent finished carving that came from one piece of wood.

I am a wood carver. I love wood and all that is in it. As long as I have my fingers and hands working I must carve. The desire is big inside of me and just itches to get out. I must create.

The chain is like a person’s life. Each one is different and each one unique. Each has been crafted from one piece of wood. The carver, God in this case, looked at the starting piece and saw great potential inside of the block(each life). Then he began taking away all of the things that were not so good and left the things that should be there – the good. And when he is done each life will be what it should be.

God is the greatest carver. He specializes in making stuff better.

When I carve, my wife will always know what I have been doing. I come in from the garage and there is a trail of wood chips behind me. There will be lots of chips and saw dust as I finish the latest piece. The chains were especially like this – lots of pieces of wood come off the original in order to achieve the final product.

I noticed when I am sanding the block of wood to get the final finish there is heat produced. The friction of the sandpaper on the wood produces heat.

Wow – that is a lot like my own life too. When some of the not so good stuff starts showing up, it can get hot around me. When the problems around me produce a reaction in me… I start seeing again the need to get rid of some old attitudes and make right the wrong. Lots of chips can be produced.

It is then that I notice that God is at work in me. He has applied a little pressure here and then over there. His pressure is like sandpaper. As His big hand moves over my being he takes away what needs to be taken away – and leaves what should be left. He knows exactly what to do to produce a much better product.

The illustration breaks down in this way. The wood is always subject to my desires, wishes and plans for it. It lays in my left hand while the right hand applies the tools to it.
My life is different. It isn’t completely like the wood. I have control over it and can remove it from any kind of influence that I wish to. If I don’t want God touching it anymore – then I simply say “I am outta here!”

I have seen that take place all too often. Just when God starts to get into that special area of a life – a choice is made to do it their own way – and the ‘God work’ stops dead. More often than not the individual that makes that choice also makes a choice to allow other things to take God place. That is when the real mess up takes place – and everything goes real bad.

Personally – a long time ago I ran away from what God was doing with me. He had a wonderful plan for my life but I told him that I wanted nothing to do with that ‘religious stuff’. “I wanted outta there…” as fast as I could make it.

I ran right into some really messy situations and almost lost all of the greatest blessings that I would ever know.

At one point I stopped running, started listening and then decided to build a relationship with the one that cared the most about me. His name is God. Today he is my best friend. He sticks with me through thick and thin. The relationship is growing each day.

Some day I will be moving out of this old body of mine. The number of funerals that I have done this summer has reminded me again that my turn will come soon enough.

I fully expect that the work that he began in me so many years ago will just about be done. My attitudes will have changed some more. My likes and dislikes will come into his order and I will know him much better. That way the culture shock of leaving this world and entering the next will not be that great.

God is kind that way towards me – he is spending lots of time with me – getting me ready.

How is your walk with God today? Have you realized that He has his best waiting and ready for you? He is the greatest craftsman ever. After all he made you – and you are the best!

~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~