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How’s this for a paradox?

Often when pastor Scott prays for me or anyone for that matter, the Lord gives him just a word or a phrase. I’ve had this happen to me as well when I’ve prayed for people.
The last two for me? Stalwart and feeble. Go figure; they’re practically complete opposites. Stalwart was from either this past Wednesday or the Wednesday before; feeble was just this morning.

  • stalwart: marked by outstanding strength and vigor of body, mind, or spirit
  • feeble:
    1. a: markedly lacking in strength; b: indicating weakness
    2. a: deficient in qualities or resources that indicate vigor, authority, force, or efficiency; b: INADEQUATE, INFERIOR

I suppose I’m stalwart in some areas, and feeble in others. Always work to be done…

God’s also pretty regular with giving me visions of my life and sometimes others. The one that came to mind this morning as I waited in worship before being prayed for was that of a sword. God told me that I had been melted down and that he was reforging me into a new sword. The uncomfortable and hard times I go through now and then are him striking me with his hammer, plunging me in water, putting me back in the forge and sharpening me with a grinder.

Sounds brutal, doesn’t it? It can be and often is. But I’ve told him to make me a vessel of honor; I suppose this comes with the territory. And as painful as it can be sometimes, it’s also quite exciting.

He brought back to rememberance the whole Isaiah 54 scripture I read a couple weeks ago. “… the blacksmith… brings forth an instrument for his work; And I have created the spoiler to destroy. No weapon formed against you shall prosper…”

Gives me chills.

Keep forging, Blacksmith.

By Joel Maust

Joel Maust is a marketer, blogger and photographer living in the beautiful Flathead Valley of northwest Montana.

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