Brand New

I must be thinking about golf because the weather in Nebraska this year has been unbelieveable. People think the weather is so bad up here, but we have had three snows this year, all about three inches, all within about two weeks, all the first week of December. We haven't had any snow in January. The temperature today is supposed to be close to 50. Now I understand that's going to change. But it got my mind ruminating about golf. Now before you tune me out, this blog is not about golf. Bear with me.
In my golf stuff I have something that I use on a regular basis when I golf. It's an old metal golf spike. Most courses don't let you use these spikes anymore because they tear up the greens. My wife bought me this old golf spike as a gift several years ago. You're probably thinking, "What a nice wife you have. She buys you an old, worn out, metal golf spike. Woohoo!" Now what's glued to the back of the golf spike is an old quarter minted in 1954, the year of my birth. That's right, I'll be 52 this year. Now this gift is getting better, but what good is an old quarter glued to an old golf spike?
Thanks for asking. The golf spike was used for traction. The quarter to buy things. But both have lost their usefulness. But what this thing is now is a ball marker. It marks the spot on the green where my golf ball sits. Two items that lost their usefulness years ago now find a new use.
Isn't that what Christianity is all about? God takes old worn out people like us, and makes us brand new. Something that has lost it's usefulness to the world, now has a new purpose and meaning. We become worth something again! Purpose, meaning, a reason for living, a smile on our face. We become instruments for God to use however He wants. If you feel as if you've lost your usefulness, allow God to take you, polish you up, maybe glue something (or someone else) to you, and "Voila!", you become useful in God's eyes. What a concept! What a God! What a life! Have a great day! JW