Wanna Be Special?

 I love the way the word of God works.

Sometimes, out of the blue, I'm minding my own business and then I encounter something I've never seen before.

This particular time I was reading a 5-day devotional plan from the folks who have created the AMAZING TV show "The Chosen." (If you haven't watched yet, I can't recommend it highly enough. You can access it on their App, YouTube channel, ROKU, etc.)

Anyway, I was reading the final days' Devotional*, which was great, and "happened" upon 2 Tim 2:21. It's a verse I've ready dozens, perhaps hundreds of times. But I'd never really seen it before. Maybe you'll see it anew as well:

"If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work." (NLT)

Don't you want to be a special utensil? 

And used honorably?

By the Master?

For every good work?

Honestly, I'm just a bit undone by the whole idea. Those are things I crave every day of my life. 

Before we go any further, I just have to say how much I love the word "utensil." Or, as Ariel called it in The Little Mermaid, a Dinglehopper! I want to be a fork in the hand of God, ready to dig into the work He's called me to... and laid out for me to do long ago! (Eph 2:10)

A utensil (be it a fork, spoon, or yard rake) is simply a tool. Inglorious. Utensils are commonplace. But in the hands of our God? World changing!

However, there is an important antecedent phrase leading to all this special, honorable, useful language. I suspect it's one many of us may have looked past in recent seasons. 

"If you keep yourself pure..." 

And there's my encouragement for you and me today. Let's consider how we might keep ourselves pure. Paul gives Timothy--and us--some help.

While he goes a bit longer, this seems a good start for us all: "Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts."

What could you do to take a step in this direction... the one that leads to being a special utensil for honorable use... ready for the Master to use you for every good work?

I'm trying to discern my answer to the same question. Let's share the journey!

*The Chosen: God’s love extends beyond your brokenness and will transform your life. See Jesus through the eyes of the real people that encountered him with this 5-day devotional inspired by The Chosen, the first multi-season original tv series about the life of Christ.