"OUT OF SERVICE"

Have you ever walked up to an elevator only to find a sign that read

“Out Of Service?”

Maybe it was a bathroom, or other needed resource. These things are needed, but often- times a luxury. There may be another way, but this one is/was the easiest and fastest.

The other day I went to the rehab/nursing home to see my brother. When it came time to leave, the nurse at the station told me the elevator was “Out Of Service.” At this point, it was of no value to me; it was worthless.

My mother and sister are taking turns spending the night with Johnny and this night my mother was going home and had several large, bulky items (such as dirty laundry, pillow, etc.) to take home. There were stairs right next to the elevator but we couldn’t use the stairs because opening the door would trigger the alarm. I found myself having to take the long route all the way around the building and then having to walk across the parking lot to my truck (not that I don’t need to walk).

The main corridor contained the rooms of the permanent residents. The smell of human excrement was staggering; the moans and look of defeat in the faces of those in the hall, or looking out from their rooms was heart wrenching. Such suffering, loneliness, loss, defeat; it was depressing to say the least. I tried to make eye contact and smile at each face but at best it must have been obvious I had no joy. How could I?

I see a need there but for the sake of time I will move on with the intent of this writing.

How many of us are “Out Of Service?”

Has God called us to perform a specific task only to have us reject His plan for the cares of this world? Maybe when we were young we felt called to the mission field; only to have dreamed up different plans for ourselves. Maybe some were called to pastor but abandoned that to go into business. Some of us may not have been called into fulltime ministry but to reach our family, neighbors, co-workers, and/or others with the message of Christ.

God can use anyone of us, wherever we are, whatever our position. All we have to do is surrender our lives to Him wholly. That means His will above ours!

If we chose/choose to do something other than what God planned for us, could that cause someone else to be forced to walk a longer path; going down the corridor of despair?

Maybe it’s our child not being brought up in a Godly home, or taken to church.

Maybe it’s a sibling who has struggled with addiction or depression; maybe a close friend or even our spouse who is contemplating suicide.

Maybe god’s perfect plan was to use us in specific circumstances but He couldn’t because when He came to use us He found that we were “Out Of Service.”

 ¹ Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. –Hebrews 12:1-2