Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that …the power may be of God, and not of us. 2 Corinthians 4:7
There was a time when telephones were connected with cords. How glorious it was when they made cords as long as 25 feet long for the kitchen wall phone. Talk about freedom, that long cord enabled one to walk around as you chatted with someone. The greatest thrill was being able to do two things at once. You could now prepare dinner as you visited with your best friend.
Of course this wasn't without complications such as catching the phone cord on the canister of flour and knocking it to the floor or dropping the receiver into the sink as you washed dishes. The biggest problem however was what happened to the phone cord over time. It twisted into a mess and wouldn't reach where you wanted to go. The only solution was to take the phone off of the hook, hold the receiver by the cord and allow it to untangle. Around and around the receiver would go seemingly spinning out of control. Each time a tangle was unwound; you worked farther and farther up the cord until it was unwound and ready for the next use.
This method eventually took a toll on the cord. What was once a perfectly shaped cord turned into a well-worn and stretched out cord that looked like a mess. While it was still functional its appearance was a testimony of how well-used it was.
Today, I feel like that phone cord that needs to be untangled. The ordeal I mentioned last time is still ongoing and will be for some time.
Searching for a verse for this week's column I found so many verses of comfort to fit the situation. The passage I selected goes on to state that we are "this treasure in earthen vessels".
For those of you who like to garden you will agree that clay pots are sometimes fragile and can break easily. If it is one of your favorite clay pots you take great care in gluing it back together. Although it is once again usable it will always show the scars of the break.
So now then, what are you going to do when you are so tangled in despair or you break into pieces? Matthew 11:29 says, "Take my yoke upon you…ye shall find rest unto your souls." We don't have to carry the load alone, Jesus is there for us. Sometimes we think we are allowing Jesus to carry the load, but we can fall into the trap of going too far and our pot falls off the shelf.
I learned to listen more closely after I wound up in the ER. Now I am forced to take time to rest. As I rest I focus on Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God…" The long term problem is still there but for now I am listening for the Lord to speak to me and preparing me for the right time to continue on. "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair" (2 Corinthians 4:8) What a goal for us to strive to attain. Listen to God so you won't get a crack in your earthen vessel.
Debra Whittington is a longtime resident of Tucumcari. Contact her at: