Chair Snafu Revisited

Life is a journey, not a home; a road, not a city of habitation; and the enjoyments and blessings we have are but little inns on the roadside of life, where we may be refreshed for a moment, that we may with new strength press on to the end - to the rest that remaineth for the people of God.  Horatius Bonar

Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life's problems fall into place of their own accord.  J.I. Packer

I had another chair snafu; in other words; an out of control situation with my desk chair.  Remember a couple of years ago the story about my desk chair.   If you don’t remember the following is an excerpt from that devotional. 

I have one of those chairs that has a lever that raises and lowers the chair.  I started to notice this week that when I would get to the office and sit down my knees would be above the seat of my chair.  I thought the cleaning people might be lowering my chair so the arms would fit under the desk. 

One of my bosses was in town this week and he normally will come into my office and sit in a chair across from my desk and dictate letters to me.  My computer screen is in the middle of my desk and the chair is directly across from my screen so I can normally make eye contact with him when he is dictating to me.

 

I started to notice that I would gradually get lower and lower until I couldn’t see him over my monitor.  It wasn’t like all of a sudden I was dropped to the floor.  It was just a gradual lowering.  I just kept hoping that my boss wouldn’t notice.  When I first began to notice it I thought I just hadn’t locked the chair in place.  I felt like my chair was a periscope slowly being lowered into the ocean. 

  

Here is where the update comes in.  I was sitting in this same chair not long ago and when I went to sit down the arm rest flew off and fell on the floor.  They say things start at the top and go downhill from there.  I decided it was time to request a new chair before the seat fell off or collapsed.  I picked up the arm and went to find our office manager.  I am now sitting in my semi-used “new” to me chair. 

     

I started thinking as usual about what God might be trying to teach me. Everything that happens in your day can be used to return your focus to God.  I started thinking about all the things I need to get done at work with special projects, the outside activities that I have going on right now and this thought came to mind. 

I am just like my broken chair.  There are going to be things that happen every day that will fall apart, fail or malfunction. I can allow all of these things to adversely affect me, or I can turn to God at those times and rest in Him.  He wants to take my burden if I will allow Him to.  When I am broken and defeated is when He wants me to turn to Him the most, so that I will depend on Him and not myself. 

If you are carrying a burden that is too heavy to carry, lift your eyes up to heaven and lean into the only One who can provide a sanctuary in your storm.

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, as the arm of my chair flew onto the floor; I was reminded that I am as broken as that chair.  You are my constant in this temporary world.  It has been a gradual process, but over the past few years my focus seems to stay more and more on You and what you are trying to teach me in my daily life. You are with me wherever I go and all I have to do is turn to You to be in Your presence.

Scripture: Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:7-9