For those of you who know me well---you know I am not a chef! However, being tempted by my "chefly friends," I decided to enhance my cooking abilities! To do so, I rummaged through and found an old cast iron skillet that belonged to my mother. I set out to restore it. Let's just say it was painstaking to rid it of its rust and corrosion. BUT after a two week tedious process, one cut finger and some lung damage from the chemicals (LOL), I have a "NEW" cast iron skillet to use.
There is a spiritual lesson in this. We are all like that cast iron skillet. For me, God was rummaging through and found me at the age of 18. I may have looked ok on the outside but on the inside there was rust and corrosion. I trusted in treasures of this world that would rust...Matthew 6:19 tells us not to lay our treasures up on earth because they will rust away. The question becomes are we more interested in the things of this world that will rust or the things eternal that will last forever. The corrosion of our lives are anything that deflects from the things of God. Perhaps some of these things are not bad in and of themselves but if they distract you from the purpose for which you were created (to bring Honor and Glory to Him), then the corrosiveness needs to be purged. Romans 3:23 tells us we all have some corrosion. We may not have grease build up but we are scarred by selfish choices and decisions. Discovering we are sinners in need of a Savior is the point at which our restoration process begins. How wonderful is it we have a restorer who wants to bring us back to an ALL THINGS NEW (2 Corinthians 5:17) state!? It doesn't stop at Salvation. We continue to be refined and drawn closer to Him every day. When we resist, we are missing out!
For me to reflect on where I was at 18 (and for some of you to remember), I know I was selfcentered but God saw beyond the selfishness and saw potential! Like I soaked the skillet, He started soaking me---through time in His word, through prayer and fellowship some of that rust and corrosion started disapating. He seasons me daily when I read His word and subject myself to listen to Him. The seasoning process for the skillet is ongoing---regularly adding lard to the surface. Our spiritual seasoning process is ongoing too --- it requires ongoing exposure to His word and gives consideration to what/who we expose ourselves to. Fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ is seasoning as is going to church, reading His word and praying. God saw me worthy of chiseling away at my past,---like chiseling away at the skillet, it too was painstaking (after all it took His son dying on the cross). He saw me (AND YOU) fit to soak in His love and finally to slowly expose us to the refiners fire (Malachi 3:2) ....and then the cool down process---lavishing us with His undeserved grace! I've lived the last 26 years in awe that He found me worthy of this gift!
You are in one of three places today--
1 - A cast iron skillet in need of being found---He is ready to restore you if you just believe on His Son Jesus Christ. Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 5: 12, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9-10
2 - A cast iron skillet in the restoration process --- He has something amazing plannned for you so be willing to let Him continuously restore you. Malachi 3:2, Jeremiah 29:11-13
3 - Gradually letting rust appear--- you have been restored--- oh you won't lose your salvation but you are missing out on some amazing blessings! Yield to His call to return to Him! Luke 15:11-24
Remember I started this skillet process because of the influence of a friend. Living for Jesus you may influence someone else to long for what you have. Be a restored skillet for Jesus! Others are looking at you!
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