Close encounters with the food processor

I’m married to a southpaw, but I’m a chronic right-hander, which for me means that I pour my pot of tea held in my left hand into the sweet little cup in my right. All of this, however, is a non sequitur for some things, like washing dishes, raking leaves, or, more importantly (of course), typing a blog post.  All ten fingers are of equal standing then.

Especially when I make a nice surgical slice into one of them while making dinner.  It doesn’t matter which one, they all bleed the same B-neg red, and it’s just as difficult to type with any of the ten swathed in multiple bandaids. 

Like I’m trying to do right now.

That sense of touch which connects with the synapses is a bit put out, and it takes a little more concentration (and maybe the back-button) to communicate to my keyboard what I’m thinking in my head. 

I was making Bob’s Father’s Day dinner, and got a little careless trying to remove the shredder from the food processor.  Oh yeah, it’s supposed to sharp for a reason.  As usual, I became too casual and nonchalant with the kitchen machinery.  I tend to take it for granted, get over confident, maybe in a hurry or just distracted.

Ouch.

I’m told that familiarity breeds confidence, but that can be good and bad both.  Confidence can give us the needed boldness to accomplish a task, OR it can make us careless of the potential danger, and neglectful of the needed attention.

God speaks to both internal conditions:

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

It is our Father’s intention that I should be so confident, so assured of His love and acceptance, that boldness in His presence actually honors Him, makes Him glad, and opens His hand to me with His abundance and grace!

Of course, if not properly handled, I can become “ho-hum” about that relationship.  Because, well, He’ll understand…and forgive.  I’ll get around to God again, someday.  Right?

 “…how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation,…” 

Salvation, as defined by Jesus Himself, is “knowing God and Jesus Christ, the One whom You have sent”.  (John 17)  It’s not the prayer you prayed in Sunday School when you were ten.  It’s not how wet you got when you were baptized.  Those are all fine and good, to the point they were meant to be.  But Jesus says it’s the relationship, and that’s speaks volumes about ongoing commitment.

Being off hand and indifferent with the God of the Universe is forgivable, but it is also dangerous.  It’s part of the reason the Body of Christ is wounded and bleeding in America.

Especially sad, since He bled so we wouldn’t have to!

Hebrews 4:16; 2:3  Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.