While traveling the back roads yesterday morning this horse and foal ran to the fence to greet us. Not only were the animals a pleasurable sight but also the sunflower field in the background and the willow tree to the left.
(Click to enlarge)
“Filing The Rough Edges”
Listen to this message on your audio player.
On the way to Smucker Laser, our first job site yesterday, we were discussing the final message in our week long “tools of the Bible” series and I told Brooksyne I was going to write about the file. During our walk-through I saw Clarence filing some metal parts which seemed to be kind of a confirmation. Clarence, like all of us, has a story. He came to this job after a long period in prison and it’s a joy to see him steady at work each week. (Clarence gave me permission to share this and the photo.)
When most of us use the word “file” we probably use it in the sense of an office file. Early in our marriage we purchased an office file cabinet which we have now used for over 40 years. At the advent of the computer age “file” became an important word in computing. Now an internet search for the word “file” will mostly yield results for this type.
But today let us consider an older use of the word file in the sense of a tool. This file is defined as “a tool with a roughened surface or surfaces, typically of steel, used for smoothing or shaping a hard material.”
This week we have shared a series of messages seeking to learn lessons from several of the tools mentioned in the Bible.
Message summary: I would like to report that after nearly 50 years of walking with the Lord all the rough edges are gone. But that’s just not true. He’s still working on me and regularly using His file.
Listen to this message on your audio player.“Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads” (1 Samuel 13:21).
On the way to Smucker Laser, our first job site yesterday, we were discussing the final message in our week long “tools of the Bible” series and I told Brooksyne I was going to write about the file. During our walk-through I saw Clarence filing some metal parts which seemed to be kind of a confirmation. Clarence, like all of us, has a story. He came to this job after a long period in prison and it’s a joy to see him steady at work each week. (Clarence gave me permission to share this and the photo.)When most of us use the word “file” we probably use it in the sense of an office file. Early in our marriage we purchased an office file cabinet which we have now used for over 40 years. At the advent of the computer age “file” became an important word in computing. Now an internet search for the word “file” will mostly yield results for this type.But today let us consider an older use of the word file in the sense of a tool. This file is defined as “a tool with a roughened surface or surfaces, typically of steel, used for smoothing or shaping a hard material.”I have several of these types of files in my tool collection and still use them on occasion. File is found only once in the Bible and is used in a literal sense for the same purpose a similar tool file is used today.
It is both a noun and verb, that is, we use a file (noun) to file (verb) something. Our friend Jesse, at the Old Windmill Farm, told me a tool file is still a commonly used tool on the farm.
So, since the word is used only once and in a literal sense, what inspirational thought can we glean here?
We use the term “rough edges” to describe areas in our life that still need worked on. Do you have any rough edges? I would like to report that after nearly 50 years of walking with the Lord all the rough edges are gone, but of course that’s just not true. He’s still working on me and regularly using His refining file to remove attitudes and actions which better reflect the world than that which reflects Christ.
In a sermon Charles Spurgeon alluded to the file, “I bear willing witness that I owe more to the fire, and the hammer, and the file, than to anything else in my Lord’s workshop.
Be encouraged today,
Daily prayer: Father, like Spurgeon wrote in his sermon, we owe more to the fire, the hammer, and the file, than to anything else in Your workshop. These tools help to remove our impurities and build up the character qualities that best reflect Christ and all that He represents. We still have rough edges that need Your smoothing so we invite You to file away at that which seeks to hold onto the old nature so that our spiritual nature is aligned with that of John the Baptist’s who declared, “He must increase, I must decrease.” More of You, Jesus, less of me is my heart’s cry. Amen.
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, like Spurgeon wrote in his sermon, we owe more to the fire, the hammer, and the file, than to anything else in Your workshop. These tools help to remove our impurities and build up the character qualities that best reflect Christ and all that He represents. We still have rough edges that need Your smoothing so we invite You to file away at that which seeks to hold onto the old nature so that our spiritual nature is aligned with that of John the Baptist’s who declared, “He must increase, I must decrease.” More of You, Jesus, less of me is my heart’s cry. Amen.
Tyler just finished high school last spring and is now operating this huge brake press for Smucker Laser. Yesterday he showed me how the machine could form a thick metal part in just seconds.
We stopped by for a few minutes to see the Lapp family on Old Windmill Farm and greeted the recently born twin goats. Brooksyne commented after picking up these baby goats, that they weigh less than Ester’s 8 month Shih Tzu mix, Sadie Willow, also born on the Old Windmill Farm.
When I was challenged to feed this piglet with a cheez-it from my mouth that idea just seemed a little creepy and a little too close for comfort, but Brooksyne, my farm girl for life, stepped right up and took on the challenge. She assured me she never touched the pig’s mouth and, as you can see, the happy little piglet was not interested in the human contact, only the cheez-it. Brooksyne admitted to me that she and Ester have done this a few times with the dogs at home, only they use longer treats such as a cheetos to give a little more distance for the transfer of food. You might never see Brooksyne the same as before this photo but she was fine with it, since she loves all kinds of animals, including piglets.
There’s nothing like being on the rural back roads of Lancaster County early in the morning seeing different groups of children walking to school.
Today’s Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
“Spirit Of The Living God” Video FFH A song we sang at Bible College around the altar. When considering the words “Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me” I wonder if we could sing “file me”!
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
Fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God,
Fall afresh on me.
“Yes I Will” Video Vertical Worship For those of you feeling the pain of the divine file!
“Yes I Will” Video Calvary Church worship team with strings Introduced by Dave, one of our worship leaders, who does a great job introducing the song with Scripture.
Finally Today:
Our peaceful scene of the horse and foal was taken early yesterday morning. When visiting Vallorbs, our second company, about an hour later the road was closed in front of the factory. We managed to park in a church parking lot and walk down to see an accident scene where a car had collided with a horse and tourist buggy. No humans were injured but the driver of the car sure had to be counting his blessings as the impact sent the horse into his windshield. A vet was brought in to put the horse down since his injuries were severe. The employees were very saddened to hear of the horse being put down, as were we, but we were also thankful the driver walked away from the accident only shaken and not physically injured.
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