Orange Moon Cafe “In Heart and Hand”

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…

"In Heart and Hand" 

      Johnson hired on one morning for a road crew.  "Ever used a jackhammer, Johnson?" asked the foreman.  Johnson instantly responded, "Many times, sir."  The foreman pointed to a jackhammer leaning against the back of a truck.  "Ok, get to work breaking up this road.  We need to finish by this afternoon."  Johnson  looked at the foreman.  "Sir, I don't have a jackhammer" he said.  Irritated, the foreman looked at them at the man.  "Johnson, there's the jackhammer, like I just showed you.  Now get to work!"  Johnson repeated his original response, "Sorry sir, I don't have a jackhammer."  By now, the foreman was angry.  "Hey Joe, hand Johnson that jackhammer!" he said to another member of the crew.  Joe did so, putting the tool directly into Johnson's hands.  "Now get to it, Johnson!"  Yet again, however, Johnson replied, "Sir, I don't have a jackhammer."

   Johnson did, in fact, have a jackhammer, in his very hands.  However, he no longer had a job.  His strange response to orders and the provision supplied to fulfill them finally exhausted the foreman's patience.

    "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue" (II Peter 1:3).

     Born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have a jackhammer.  Or rather, we have our Lord Himself living within us through the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Thereby everything God calls us to do that results in His glory and the expression of His righteousness in our lives lies at hand (actually, in heart).  Unlike Johnson, we cannot audibly hear our Heavenly Father's commands, nor can we visibly see the strength provided for their fulfillment.  Instead, we have the Scriptures, His Spirit, and the example and encouragement of fellow believers to confirm God's will and His power to act accordingly - "all things that pertain to life and godliness."  Our role involves "the knowledge of Him".  Do we know our Lord and His Word well enough to have a good working knowledge of His will?  Are we aware that He provides the motivation, guidance, and enabling necessary to act accordingly?  Our participation with the road crew along the path of righteous requires our awareness of both what to do, and the means provided to do it.  "This is the way, walk ye in it… We shall live with Him by the power of God" (Isaiah 30:21; II Corinthians 13:4).

   Scripture calls believers to "walk, even as He (Christ) walked" (I John 2:6).  This constitutes an utter impossibility in human terms, no less than if the foreman of our road crew had directed Johnson to break up the street with his bare hands.  He didn't do that, nor does our Heavenly Father call us to trust and obey Him apart from first providing His presence, involvement, and working in our hearts.  We can do His will always, through Christ.  This we must believe, because it is true, and because His glory and our virtue flows from God's provision and our accessing the grace given to know and execute His will in our lives.  Yes, we have a  jackhammer, in heart and hand…

"I will dwell in them and walk in them."

(II Corinthians 6:16)

"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure."

(Philippians 2:12-13)

"I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

(I Corinthians 15:10)

Weekly Memory Verse

    "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue."

 (II Peter 1:3)

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