Screwed?

Last week, Ed and I were trying to dismantle an old metal shed at the bottom of the garden. In some places it had been repaired in the past, some sheets of corrugated metal were in better condition than others, some screws were fairly shiny and new compared to others.

We set about the task using mainly a screwdriver and pair of pliers. We started on one side and unscrewed one panel at a time, it was methodical, almost fun. Almost. The newer screws were quite easy to take out, the screwdriver fitted well, the thread intact.

Holding together the roof, the largest piece that had to be taken apart, was just one screw. Not a nice new shiny screw but an old, old screw. A rusty, tarnished old screw.

Would it budge? Absolutely not. The shape of the screw was rusted over, weather damaged so the screwdriver wouldn’t hold properly. The thread had worn away and it was properly jammed in place. This one rusty old screw was not going to give up!! A couple of hammers later I had a mangled sculpture of metal in the side alley. The screw is still in place.

You might feel old today, you might feel rusty and tarnished by all that life has thrown at you this week, this decade. You may look around and see these new shiny versions, clean and bright and perfectly formed.

But do not be down heartened and do not be deceived. You may be old, and you may feel rusty but within that lies a strength and a tenacity that is yours to own. You may be not be shiny and new, but you alone might be the one thing holding things together! Yes, you have weathered many storms but through that you are able to weather even greater forces that come your way.

So let us go to God in prayer;

In this world that you have created, but we build constructs around, it often seems we praise the new, the young, the shiny, the beautifully formed. And, yes, all those factors have value and worth and for that we give you thanks God.

But Heavenly Parent discourage us daily from letting that lead us to the lie that they are the only things that have value. Others of your creation may be older, have endured more and on the surface have lost their shine, but they, we, are still of value, each of us in our uniqueness is of value to you and others.

God give us a daily strength to look in the mirror and see ourselves, truly see ourselves how you ask us to be seen. We are not ‘old’ we are further along the journey you have called us on. We are not rusty and tarnished, rather we simply bear the physical attributes of those challenges that you have called us to face.

Each challenge builds up a layer, a layer of strength that we wear ready for whatever next lies on our journey. We thank you for providing us with so many interactions and opportunities each day to grow and explore our resilience. Each day is a new test, a new warm up for that which is even greater that you are calling us to do!

Holy Spirit when we are tired may we turn to you and allow you to breathe new energy into us and help us to find levels of tenacity we never knew possible. Give us the gifts and tools we need to do your work. Give us the strength we need to hold things together. Give us the wisdom we need to know when to let go.

We thank you Blessed Mother God for the old and for the new, for the modern and for the vintage, for the shiny and the beautifully weathered, the rough and the smooth. It is through these beautiful variations in life that we live out our lives just as you have called us to do.

Amen!