“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.” 2 Tim. 20-21…………….
“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” Galatians 6:1………………….
“Mercy,” I said quietly and calmly. “Mercy.” I looked at paralyzed dog Miss Mercy all the way on the other side of the room. The industrial fan which I keep on 24-7 is loud. Maybe she hadn’t heard. “Mercy!” I said louder. “Mercy!” Still she didn’t come. She needed to. She was supposed to. She knew she had to. She knew it was time for me to change her diaper. She knows the routine. She doesn’t answer well to her name. My fault. I never trained her. But usually she comes anyway, eventually, okay, maybe a little slower than she should. But this time she wasn’t budging. Not a bit. I started to worry. She was in such excruciating pain years ago after she was hit by a car, dropped off at a shelter, and picked up by me that two vets said she should be euthanized. The Lord told me to keep her alive. Several years later, she was near death for medical reasons. The Lord miraculously saved her. Was she sick again? Why couldn’t she move? Normally I would be irritable by this point at her stubbornness. But this time I was worried. I went to her.
“Mercy, what’s the matter?” I said gently. Maybe her legs were folded under her in the wrong position. She doesn’t walk due to her spinal cord injury, but she can normally scoot on her knees just fine. And fast. This time? Nothing.
I looked at her body. Then I saw it. One of her legs, which she couldn’t even feel, was stuck under a dog bed such that she couldn’t move. Because she couldn’t feel her leg, she didn’t even know why she was stuck. She simply couldn’t move. And she couldn’t get out of the predicament she was in. She needed help. She needed someone to come alongside her and gently, lovingly, tenderly, mercifully, helpfully, compassionately help set her free so she could keep moving forward in life. Only by God’s grace who gave me life in the first place, saved me from my sins through Christ and gave me everlasting life, and who has saved me from countless bondages and troubles and challenges was I alive, breathing, healthy, whole, sensitive to another’s needs, and able to help set another free. Free from being stuck. So she would no longer be stuck. So she could get on with her life.
Sometimes we find ourselves in stuck places. We who follow the Lord Jesus Christ have a responsibility when it comes to people who are stuck in places in their lives just as we once were – and just as we may be again. We need to love the Lord, love others, and yield to the Spirit of God as He leads us to be used by Him to help others in their hard and stuck places. We need to be sensitive to the Lord and to others so we can see when they may need help. And we need to humbly, lovingly, and compassionately take the time and care to help them. The ultimate rescuer is the Lord, and never should we take any glory for ourselves for the glory that belongs to Him. What we should do when He has so graciously and lovingly, tenderly, gently, and generously and mercifully set us free is surrender ourselves to Him as His vessels, continually purifying ourselves so we can be pure vessels for Him to pour Himself through to reach out to those to whom He leads us who are stuck and need loving help getting free to get on with their lives.
Please don’t miss the opportunities the Lord places before you each day. And remember to give HIM the glory!