Transformed from Rubbish to Treasure

Devotion: Term 4, Week 8

A Christian leader writes: ‘The Italian violin maker Antonio Stradivari was a poor man. And yet his violins are now the most prized violins ever made because of the rich and resonant sound they produce. The unique sound of a Stradivarius cannot be duplicated. What may surprise you is that these precious instruments were not made from treasured pieces of wood; they were carved from discarded lumber. Because Stradivari couldn’t afford fine materials, he got most of his wood from the dirty harbours where he lived. He would take those waterlogged pieces of wood to his shop, clean them up, and dry them out. Then, from those trashed pieces of lumber, he would create instruments of rare beauty. It has since been discovered that while the wood floated in those dirty harbours, microbes infiltrated the wood and ate out the centres of those cells. This left just a fibrous infrastructure of wood that created resonating chambers for the music. From wood that nobody wanted, Stradivari produced violins that now everybody wants.’

You say, ‘How does any of this relate to me?’ Just as this violin maker transformed rubbish into treasure, God can transform you into what you were actually meant to be. You might say, ‘But you don’t know how low I have fallen or the things I’ve done. I doubt that Jesus could save and transform someone like me!’ Give Him a try. Put Him to the test. You won’t be disappointed. The Bible says, ‘Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.’ Hebrews 7:25 NKJV

SoulFood: Rom 9:17 – 11:36 John 10:22-42 Ps 83:9-18 Pro 29:23-27

The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright 2024

Other Devotions

Devotion – Be real

Devotion – Be real

Jesus was rough on Pharisees: ‘Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness’ (Matthew 23:28 NLT). They put on a good front but were devoid of grace, mercy, and compassion. And Jesus called them on it! Because we live in an appearance-focused society, Jesus warns us about the dangers that come from dwelling on the outer life at the cost of developing the inner life. So, how do you keep that from happening?

Devotion – You’re almost there!

Devotion – You’re almost there!

Psychologists say the strongest influence on our present is often our past. But Paul said: ‘… But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT).

Devotion – You can learn to love

Devotion – You can learn to love

You can learn to love by thinking loving thoughts. By focusing on the other person’s needs, pains, difficulties, goals, and desires, not just your own. The old saying goes, ‘It’s easier to understand someone when you walk a mile in their shoes.’ Hurting people tend to hurt other people. If someone is hurting you, that person may be doing so because they are hurting. How can you love them? By looking beyond their faults and seeing their needs. The least lovable people are often those who need love the most. The people we would prefer to ignore are the very ones who need huge doses of love.

Comms
Author: Comms

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