An Instrument of Beauty

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The spoon came from Rackhams, a department store that seemed very expensive and "classy" to me at sixteen, which is when I found it. I loved to catch the train into Birmingham from the nearby village of Alvechurch whenever I could, to visit the art gallery, or museum--or explore the shops.
In England young girls didn't have "hope chests," we had "bottom drawers." The idea was to gather things in it for the day when we met our knight in shining armour and were swept off into the sunset on a white horse. At that moment we would say, "Hang on a minute, we've got to empty that drawer"--we would be prepared!
I saw the serving spoon and loved it. It was simple and elegant and the lines of it pleased my eye and hand. Though only made of stainless steel, it was of very good quality and glowed softly as it caught the light, with a patina as lovely as that of silver--and I could just about afford it.
Not too long after that I did meet Paul, my knight in shining armour, and in the forty years since then we have been blessed abundantly with a cosy home filled with many things we treasure, and among them is this spoon. It's funny how such a simple thing can bring pleasure, but whenever I take it from drawer to table, I enjoy using it. Someone took care in designing it--the shape of the bowl and the curve of the handle, it is useful and beautiful.
As carefully as some unknown craftsman shaped my spoon, God has shaped you and I. As I take pleasure in my spoon, so does he in us, his creation. Of course we are much more than objects of art or utility to him.--humankind was made in his image--an image that was marred by sin to be sure--but in his image nonetheless.
My spoon can't speak or feel my pleasure in using it--it's totally a one way relationship, but how wonderful to have been crafted by God with a unique purpose in mind and to feel his pleasure when we are yielded in his hand, being used for his purpose in that moment. In those moments of yieldedness and usefulness I believe that every cell in our bodies vibrate with joy--and I believe our heart beats keep time with a song we alone were meant to sing.
Revelation 4:11 (21st Century King James Version)

11"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are, and were created."

Comments

Anonymous said…
Dear Bel(Q)- How beautiful! I also thought that during the lifetime of that spoon, when it is used for celebrations and gatherings, fellowship and service, that it will get dented, scratched and that during the cleansing process it will be rubbed and abrased, that even all these " scars" make it no less beautiful to you. That simply because it was chosen by you,loved by you and was crafted with care that you won't see the marks. And even if you do, because of your original intent and delight in it, it is no less beautiful to you. How lovely to know that is how God feels about us. And we aren't spoons. Poppy
9:28 AM
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