Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Honourable or not?

Yesterday morning when I got back from walking Sassy my neighbour across the street stopped to chat for a bit. He's a retired fellow with a straight forward attitude about life. Has stuff in his life that I can't say I'm too thrilled with, but he's got a grandson about Justin's age so I'm building some bridges.

Anyways, yesterday we got to chatting abit and we ended up talking abit about God. I mentioned to him about if we love God that we need to live the way that God wants us to. This man is by no means a believer...I do have high hopes for him though. Anyways, he agreed with me, and said...Suppose if we don't we'll burn in hell right. I said, yep, that's basically how it goes. And that's how I left it, I suppose I could have asked him more, but that just seems a good place to leave it. He's hoping to come over sometime this week to let his grandchildren play with bunnies.

I mention that because 1. It be good to pray for him to see the light of God's glory for himself. and 2. because when I read today's passage I was drawn to think of him again.
20Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
Do you see it? How we need to keep ourselves away from the dishonourable? By doing so, we keep ourselves ready for useful, help, good works?

It's part of living the way God wants us to.
If we allow ourselves to be immersed in the 'ick' of life then how can God use us for that which we are intended for?

A gold pot used as a potty is not going to be used as a fruit dish now is it?
Or a silver pot used for washing dishes isn't going to hold some roast lamb either!

Keep yourself clean. Free from dishonourable uses. Be willing to be set apart, to be used for holy things, useful things, ready for every good work that God sets before you.

I'm learning more and more about what that means. Seems a bit mind boggling sometimes. But it is done, one day at a time...just choosing...is this a honourable use of my time or not?

3 comments:

Lillie Ammann said...

Annette,
I like the way you close - choosing one day at a time whether we're using our time honorably. Sometimes making the right choices can seem overwhelming if we don't break it down in small chunks.

Annette said...

It's one of those fine things in life that I have learned Lillie. The constant decision-making. It's one that I frequently share with others who are struggling with sin. That even if it seems like a million times in a day... give it over to God in repentance AND/OR ask yourself, is this what I aught to be doing. If it isn't, then find something, anything else to do that is better.

Still hard to do sometimes though. (rueful smile).

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the uplifting post. I linked from the Christian Carnival. It made me think, sometimes those precious vases or pots we have on a shelf, saved for good use, and they may wait there for awhile before being used. At the opportune time. I had a women's bible study group and we called ourselves "Ladies in Waiting" - with that idea, of waiting upon the Lord and being ready. I think I want to blog about that.