A Word from Pastor Dennis – August 16, 2020

The hand of the Lord has done this (Job 12:9)

What We Should Know

I read recently the story of the most magnificent diamond ever found in an African diamond mine. It was presented to the king of England to embellish his crown. The king sent it to Amsterdam to be cut by an expert stonecutter.  

He took this gem of priceless value and cut a notch in it. Then he struck it one hard time with his hammer, and the majestic jewel fell into his hand, broken in two. What recklessness! What wastefulness! What criminal carelessness!

Actually, that was not the case at all. You see,  that one blow with the hammer had been studied and planned for days, and even weeks. Drawings and models had been made of the gem. It’s quality, defects and possible lines along which it would split had all ben studied to the smallest detail and the man to whom it was entrusted was one of the most skilled stonecutters in the world.

No, that blow was no mistake. It was the capstone and culmination of the stonecutter’s skill. When he struck that blow, he did the one thing that would bring that gem to it’s most perfect shape, radiance and jeweled splendor. The blow that seemed to be the ruin of the majestic precious stone was actually its perfect redemption, for from the halves were fashioned two magnificent gems. Only the skilled eye of the master stonecutter could have seen the beauty of the two diamonds hidden in the rough, uncut stone as it came from the mine.

Sometimes, in the same way, God lets a stinging blow fall on our life. We bleed, feeling the pain and our soul cries out in agony. At first, we think it is an appalling mistake, but it’s not for we are the most precious jewel in the world to God and He is the most skilled stonecutter in the universe. 

In one of George MacDonald’s books, one of the characters makes this bitter statement: “I wonder why God made me. I certainly don’t see any purpose in it!” Another of the characters responds, “Perhaps you don’t see any purpose yet, but then, He isn’t finished making you. And besides, you are arguing with the process.” 

There is an old cliché which says: “Don’t give up on me. God ain’t through with me yet.” Let’s just open up and give God room to work so His Good News will go on. (I appreciate these thoughts from Annie Porter Johnson)