Looking For the Light.

Over the years I have fitted, removed, and worked on many, many washing machines. All sorts from twin-tubs to automatics. From front-loaders to top-loaders. I have replaced inner drums, replaced outer seals and cleaned out filters.

I remember when my family got their first ever automatic washing machine all those years ago. Mum put a wash load into the machine and Dad and I went and got two kitchen chairs and sat and watched the machine go through its whole washing cycle. We sat and watched as the little timer dial turned through it’s program  and the clothes plopped and sloshed their way around the drum as the soapy water splashed against the funny shaped window in the door.

Never in the history of mankind have two intelligent men ever been held so engrossed by something so simple as the actions of an automatic washing machine. I thought I had seen it all. Washing machine life would never be the same again.

So, we recently bought a new washing machine. And for the very first time in my life I saw a washing machine with a light inside the drum. A light. It comes on when the various washing cycles are in operation. And I can see the washing slopping around and the water splashing against the window in a whole new light. (Sorry about the pun). Dad would have enjoyed the show.

And it reminded me of new lighting systems that has been coming into use in public buildings over the last 20 years or so. It’s called “intelligent lighting” and it involves the idea that lights in a room are automatically switched on when we walk into the room, or corrider, and automatically switch off again after we leave. It supports the idea that lights cannot me left on thereby wasting electricity. It’s the same with the light in our new washing machine. It doesn’t actually come on until after the cycle has started.

Many christians who work for God’s Kingdom, whether it be in their church, their local bookshop, or in the mission fields, started off by looking for “a sign”. They want to have everything made clear to them before they will even start out on a journey of faith.

Gideon was one of the more well known chracters in the Bible who asked God for a sign…

Judges Ch6 (36) Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised – (37) look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said." (38) And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew - a bowlful of water. (39) Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew." (40) That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

Gideon’s problem was his doubt in God’s signs. Even when God showed him a sign, Gideon asked God to show him another sign to verify that the first sign was indeed a sign.

But that’s not always how God works. Sometimes we need to make a step into a direction before god will come to meet with us. Remember Joshua on the way to Jericho? He had already started out on his campaign march to the city when God met him on the road…

Joshua Ch5 (13) Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" (14) "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come."

And I have found over the years that God sometimes meets with us after our journey has started. But we ourselves need to make the first move in faith. Indeed, the Bible has many accounts of people who God has met after they have started out on their journey, only for them to find out that it was the journey that God had planned for them all along anyway. God met with Jacob, (Genesis Ch32 v30). God met with Samson’s mother (Judges Ch13 v6). God appeared to Solomon twice (1st Kings Ch11 v9).

Proverbs Ch16 (9) A man's heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.

So, don’t be afraid to volunteer for that church group. Nor be afraid to join a support group for missionaries. God has it all in control. He will make sure it all works out in the end.

Proverbs Ch16 (4) The LORD works out everything to its proper end…

I have had the greatest pleasure of being associated with various christian groups over the years. And most of my involvement started out by just going up to someone and saying Hello. So don’t be afraid of joining in. Because, of these two things I am certain. Firstly, the place that you start out on with God is not the same place that you will end up. And secondly, it will be a journey that you couldn’t have planned for or prepared for by yourself

My eyes haven’t seen, nor have my ears heard,
What the father has in store.
But when I hear the sound of a sweet singing bird.
I’m closer than I’ve been before
to that heavenly home. Built by God alone,
according to his perfect plan.
Where the only thing there that’s been made by man
Are the scars in the hands of Jesus.

Email - TheseLivelyOracles@hotmail.com
Internet - www.theselivelyoracles.co.uk
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Twitter(X) - @LivelyOracles58

 

Location: 1 A1, Belfast BT1 5YE, UK

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