Monday, 3/9/20 – Pressing on…

The saga of the fireplace trim…

For twenty-two years we enjoyed living in our little log home just outside Fredericton. We knew when we purchased it that the living room fireplace was unusable due to a prior collapse of the chimney liner. But, no worries, we would get an electric insert.

That day came and the insert was installed. Now all the fireplace needed was some mantle-matching trim around the insert. Sketches were drawn and the trim was installed, but not by the man with whom we had originally drawn up the plans. That man had got called out of town and he had sent another fellow to do the work in his place. The result was not at all what we had agreed upon.

The first man came round, had a look, and agreed to correct the work. By now payment for the job had been made, and there was nothing further in writing about the needed corrections. Still, the man promised to honor his word. The repairs would be done.

Two years passed filled with repeated phone calls, excuses, and delays, but still the work was not done. Had to order some parts… had another rush job… got the pieces all cut out and ready for you… will be around soon… Time passed… It was not until we were ready to put the house on the market that the man finally did come round and do the needed repairs.

Though the resulting work was lovely we did not recommend this man to any of our friends – not because of poor workmanship, but because of poor reliability. Had we had a written contract we could have forced the matter, we could have appealed to a higher authority and got the job done in shorter order. But we did not. What we had was a trust, a faith in a man whose faithfulness proved questionable.

God is not like that!

God is the Highest authority in Himself.

God has promised through Abraham to bring a great nation into this world through which He would bring humankind’s Saviour. He promised this by an oath,

“People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.” (Heb. 6:16-18).

And God has delivered.

While it is unlikely that I will ever trust this contractor again, it is assuring to know I can approach God with confidence knowing He is ever faithful.

More tomorrow…

To hear Pastor Andrew’s Sunday message, go to the Lincoln Baptist Church website and look under ‘Sermons Online’ for the Mar. 8 message.