Sermon Central
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On The Anvil
Contributed by Martin Spoelstra on Jun 26, 2022 (message contributor)
With a strong forearm, the apron-clad blacksmith puts his tongs into the fire, grasps the heated metal, and places it on the anvil. His keen eye examines the glowing piece. He sees what the tool is now and envisions what he wants it to be - sharper, flatter, wider, longer. With a clear picture in his mind, he begins to pound. His left hand still clutching the hot mass with the tongs, his right-hand slams the 2 pounds sledge upon the mouldable metal.
On the solid anvil, the smouldering iron is remolded.
The Smith knows the type of instrument he wants. He knows the size. He knows the shape. He knows the strength.
Whang! whang! The hammer slams. The shop rings with noise, the air fills with smoke, and the softened metal responds.
But the response doesn’t come easily. It doesn’t come without discomfort. To melt down the old and recast it as new is a disrupting process. Yet the metal remains on the anvil, allowing the toolmaker to remove the scars, repair the cracks, refill the voids, and purge the impurities.
And with time, a change occurs: what was dull becomes sharpened, what was crooked becomes straight, what was weak becomes strong, and what was useless becomes valuable.
He ceases his pounding and sets down his hammer. With a strong left arm, he lifts the tongs until the freshly moulded metal is at eye level. In the still silence, he examines the smoking tool. The incandescent implement is rotated and examined for any mars or cracks.
There are none.
Now the smith enters the final stage of his task. He plunges the smouldering instrument into a nearby bucket of water. With a hiss and a rush of steam, the metal immediately begins to harden., And the pliable, soft material becomes an unbending, useful tool.
(Max Lucado. "On the Anvil: Stories on Being Shaped into God's Image." Tyndale publishing. 2008. Page 39-40."
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