In The Carpenter's Hand - Devotional Friday

This was written by my husband several months ago.  I thought it is also appropriate for us missioanry wives.  How many times do we feel as though we aren't "good enough" for this job?

A church recently sent four people to help us remodel our new building in order to make it ready for holding church services. The carpenters and cabinet maker were concerned that they might not have the proper tools to get the jobs done. Upon arrival, they discovered that some of the tools were old, too worn and not in proper working order. There was a circular saw in which the bearing went bad and a straight cut was no longer possible. The men also used demolishing tools in order to do finishing work. A SawZall had to be used to cut a hole for a sink, simply because a Jig saw was not available. The carpenters knew what they were doing and instead of complaining about the inferior tools, they used the tools. In their hands, the worn-out, old tools were used to get the job done and something beautiful was made.

There is another Master Carpenter that we all know very well. He has been building His Church for 2,000 years. Christ goes to the tool shed. He has a job to do and He reaches for the tool He needs, but it is not available. However, there lay another tool broken and marred by years of misuse. It is good for nothing, yet it is available. The Carpenter always uses what’s available. He takes this broken tool which at one time was used as a demolition tool, but now in the carpenter’s hands something beautiful is made.

How many lives battered by sin and stained with the scars of this world has God used in His service! How many times has God used despised things to bring about His Will! Often, we look at others and think to ourselves, “If God would use them, just think what could be done! They have so many gifts and so many talents to offer God.” We wonder why God hasn’t called them to do something great. We question why God has called us who are but the scrapings at the bottom of the barrel. The answer is simple…They have not made themselves available to the Carpenter. He uses what is available. God uses the broken worn-out tool and with the completion of His work, He, not the tool, gets ALL the glory. In His hands, He makes all things beautiful. All believers are tools. Are you available?


For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.

I Corinthians 1:26-29 (KJV)