God and a Glove

Hello Friends,

Summer vacation is quickly coming to a close…however, we aren’t going to think about that right now. Instead, did you have a great time at the Crawford County Fair? Did you enjoy seeing the pageant, the barnyard scramble, the go-kart racing, the dirt drag, the tractor pull, and the demolition derby? Did you get some ice cream, eat a corndog, and get covered in powdered sugar from a hot and soft funnel cake? Did you go with family or with friends? Were you able to watch any cow shows, pig shows, or any other 4-H events? There was a lot happening!

I was able to watch a cow show and pig show during the week. Then on Thursday and Friday evening, after volunteering to take tickets, I watched the excitement of the demolition derby. Dirt was flying everywhere, metal was crunching, tires were following off, sparks were colliding with the ground, and people were shouting and yelling as cars rammed into each other and smashed into the concrete barriers. It was really something to see! If you know of anyone who was involved with the Fair, make sure to tell them thank you! I wonder what kind of excitement will be at the Fair next year?!

Change of subject. With the weather this past weekend so beautiful, I decided to spend all day outside on Saturday. I trimmed some bushes, did some mowing, did some trimming, and attempted to downsize some of the logs next to the garage. I didn’t get everything accomplished, but I did get some things done. But before I did anything, I put on my work gloves.

Now, my work gloves aren’t perfect: they are dirty and stained, have holes in the them, and probably need to be thrown away. However, they still get the job down! As I was putting on my gloves, I thought about something someone told me once about how gloves are related to God creating us. So, I thought I would share what this person shared with me with you.

Here is what this person shared: “The “glove and God” analogy illustrates our spiritual purpose: just as a glove is made in the shape of a hand to be filled and animated by it, humans were created in God’s image so that He could live within us, empowering our lives and giving them true meaning. A glove on its own is lifeless, limp, and unable to function. While it mimics the form of a hand, it has no power to grasp or act until it is worn.

“Similarly, without the indwelling presence of God, a person may be active, but remains spiritually empty or lacking eternal direction. When the hand slips into the glove, it fills the fingers, moves the material, and gives the glove the ability to do what it was designed for. In the same way, when a person surrenders to God and lets His Spirit work through them, they gain strength, purpose, and the capacity to live out their divine calling.”

The next time you put on a glove, which I know many of you will as the projects never end, consider how your hand gives that glove life and how with God in your life you have an active life of faith.

You see, my gloves hang on a shelf in the garage. They don’t move, they aren’t able to do any work, unless I take them off the shelf and put them on. Then they come to life! In life, sometimes we find ourselves on the shelf: just sitting there, doing nothing. But, when we allow God to enter our heart, we come to life! We are the glove and God is the hand. We need God in our life so that we can work but also have fun.

The next time you decide to put on a pair of work gloves, think about how your hand in that glove is like God in your life. God is making you come alive! Looks like I have some work to do!

Your Friend, Holy Spirit!