Make This Decision
I asked my spinal surgeon what kind of activity my back could withstand. He said that I could do anything that I could stand- that I would have pain but was in no danger of further injury. In fact, he said that those three fused vertebrae were now the strongest part of my spine. Now I could focus all of my 'rehab' attention on my foot. That got me thinking about climbing.
I always tell people that mountain climbing boots are like cinder blocks- firm and solid. This was now a problem because I could see that there was no way that my injured foot would fit inside a boot. That week I played over every scenario in my mind and the best I could come up with was that I would need one size 10 and one size 12 or 13 boot. Of course, I knew that I couldn't climb effectively like that, I would be tripping over my crampons all the time.
To be truthful, I had another solution in my mind, I just didn't want to consider it except as a last resort. My foot was extremely swollen even after four months. There were also 9 large screws holding it together. I decided that my climbing boots were so solid that if I shoved my injured foot into the boot, it would force my foot to 'heal down' into the shape of the boot. If I was willing, the 'movable' would be shaped by the 'immovable.'
This is a picture of our lives and the Word of God. Isaiah 64:8 says, "But now, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay and you are the potter. We are all the work of your hand." If we are willing, the Word of God will shape us and mold us and make us useful for his Kingdom purpose. The problem we face is one of decision. Am I willing to deny SELF? Am I willing to become completely HIS? Am I willing to be shaped by God even when the process is unpleasant or painful?
Or, like the masses, will I learn the desperate futility of trying to 'bend' the Word of God to fit my preferences? Friend, we must CHOOSE to be moldable. We must RESOLVE to endure whatever it takes. We must willingly... joyfully... become clay in the hands of the Potter. MAKE THIS DECISION and you will be blessed! -Pastor Brad
Written on November 29, 2025
Posted in Daily Devotions