Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Regret as a tool...

(This is an example I used in my lesson from Sunday)
_____________________

Everyone knows what a chain saw is - right?

I know what it is, but I cant pick one up... ever feel how heavy those things are?

But its a tool... something that can be used in two different ways...

First - the good way....
we know what this is.

We see it when people are struggling - when storms come through.  We're seeing it with people in New York after Hurricane Sandy.

A few years back, we got Hurricane winds from Hurricane Isaac... I've never in my life experienced Hurricane winds in Indiana before.  We're in Indiana!  No where close to an ocean... but the winds were CRAY-CRAY!!!  Trees were cracking like tooth picks - wires were wiping around like those stupid blow up people that are usually on car lots.  It was nuts.

We actually were at church when the winds came through... & we didnt know how we were going to get home.  There were trees EVERYWHERE... especially in the middle of the street, blocking paths.

Before you knew it, men were sprouting out of corners with their chain saws... chopping these trees into pieces that were removed & cleared out the path.... amazing to see people work together like that.

now - let's look at how a chain saw is NOT used for good.





Can I say?  these parents are AWESOME!!!!

But back to tools...

So we know there is  good way to use things & a bad way to use things...

Well, we know we all have regrets... things in our lives that we wish we could do over again... do differently.

But God is so cool...

We see over & over again with people in the Bible - people messed up...
& we see over & over again how God still used those people!

God doesnt want us to sit in those regrets.
He wants to REDEEM us... He wants us to go forward...

& He'll use every bit of our lives to do it... even the regrets

Especially the regrets!

Because we can use it just like that chainsaw...
we can help clear the path for others

We can help others not make the same mistakes we have made
We can help them down a cleaner path that isnt so full of obstacles

God never wants you to sit in regret...
He never wants you to look back & wish "if only" where it leaves you afraid & heartbroken

He wants to use you & your life ...
Always to help each other...

"Dont be afraid, I've redeemed you!
  I've called your name. You're mine!"
 ~God (Isaiah 43)

8 comments:

  1. What an excellent reminder. Thanks so much for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for this today! That is powerful!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Awesome post. Thanks for the reminder and for giving me a good laugh with that video.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you for sharing! And that video was hilarious - reminds me of something our youth pastors used to do, "sneak" into kids' houses (with parental permission!) to wake kids up on Saturday mornings :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for this. You always give me something to think about. And I just feel like I've set though a very nice sermon. So I don't feel guilty anymore about not attending mass these days. I know, I've been naughty.
    I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
    Your Friend, m.
    And the video, HILARIOUS!

    ReplyDelete
  6. The man God used to bring me to Christ taught me a lot, but he was a cad in many ways that embarrassed him once he realized how God was using him. So, in real life, as a new believer, I saw how God used the most unlikely people to do the most amazing things!

    ReplyDelete

I am thankful for each comment & like to respond to every one of them....
If you noticed I do not respond to your comments, it is because you are a "no reply" blogger and I am unable too!
How to enable your e-mail: BLOGGER ACCOUNTS: To do this, click on your Dashboard, click on EDIT PROFILE and place a check mark next to SHOW MY EMAIL ADDRESS, and finally scroll to the bottom and click SAVE PROFILE.**

Social Media World

Come Follow Me