Did you know that Gleanings is read by several thousand people daily and on a good day by more than 40,000 people?

We're trying to get a better handle on where our readers are. Would you please take a moment and send an email telling us what city/province (or state)/country you are in? Please don't assume we already know.

You can reach us at corbin_writer@hotmail.com

Thank you.

GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD
Encountering an extraordinary God in ordinary life
Issue # 270 September 24, 2001
Rusty Nails

Just before my moved from the old house, my sons and I were making some minor repairs to the fence. It was getting to be in rough shape.

Where possible, we were re-using the fence boards and the nails. Nails are amazing in that no matter how rusty they are, or how bent, with a little hammering to straighten them out, they are perfectly fine for reuse.

One of the skills they taught my boys at The Lord’s Boot Camp in Florida was how to straighten a nail out. Using a hammer, and another hard surface, by gently rolling the nail, you can eventually make it as straight as when it was first made.

In many parts of the world, you can’t just run down to the store and buy new nails when you need them. You save any old ones you find, and use them over and over again.

In a lot of ways, people are like nails. The course of everyday living rusts us, and bends us out of shape. The tougher our lives, and the more we sin, the more we bend and twist.

Sometimes we are bent beyond recognition and think there is no way we can ever be used by God. Or we look at someone else and think that they are so bent that God can never use “them”.

Once we accept Him, He pries us out from our old sinful life and begins the process of preparing use for re-use. God is patient and will gently clean off the rust. He will hammer us and roll us and straighten us for His use.

No-one is so bent that God can’t straighten them out. All it takes is willingness on our part.

Christ was nailed to the cross to take our place. His death and resurrection make it possible for our lives to be made straight again.

Ar you feeling all bent and twisted out of shape? Remember the words of the Psalmist

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Psalm 3:5-6 NIV

Until next time, rely on Him to straighten you out and use you.

God bless.

Kevin

If you don’t know the Jesus who can straighten out your life and make you like new, email me. I’ll share a few Bible verses that will explain the importance of a relationship with Him and a prayer that will make it possible.

No matter how bent, twisted and rusty you life has made you, He is able to make you like new.