As I was worshipping The LORD this morning, He showed me a picture of Jesus in a wood-shop as a Carpenter.

Jesus was standing at a woodworking table inspecting a rough piece of wood He had picked up from a pile in the corner of a room.

Jesus is focused and ready to calmly, joyfully begin to work on this misshapen raw wood He has carefully picked out.

He knows this wood is ready to be transformed. His hands find a golden wood shaver, this is a special piece and it is his favorite.

He is ready to begin and I sense His authority to begin shaving off the dross from the wood and expose the perfect layer underneath.

I see him smile as he shaves off the very first layer and now it is revealed that this wood is my heart.

His sacrifice produced what was necessary for Him to take me/ us all through this process of transformation to become more like Him.

Pride and entitlement are in the first layer he has so carefully removed.

These character bents had to be exposed so my heart would soften and begin to be a changed vessel going after Him.

Looking at this first layer being pulled away was painful, as I clearly see the influence this bent had on my decisions over so many years.

I see the wood shaving float to the floor and an invisible wind takes the crumbled shaving away out of my vision.

This wind is change and the growth I have prayed for.

Jesus briefly glances up as he begins to reposition the tool and I know that this will not be comfortable as He shaves off another layer.

Comfort covers me as it is revealed to me that He will be with me in this painful process and that this refining has a Divine Purpose that will bring The Joy of The LORD in a way I have never known.

I know as Jesus works that the character bents have to go, in order to walk closer to him and leave fleshly desires behind.

The next layer is insecurity and rejection. Shame rises up inside of me as a movie roll unfolds again in front of my eyes.

Altercations and sinful decisions play out in front of me. Jesus looks up as this layer falls to the floor.

I know without him speaking He has taken my shame and a confidence in him takes its place.

Repentance has taken place and he has forgiven these sins. Turning away from bad habits and selfishness is now a choice I have to make in following him each day.

He is still looking at me communicating without words. I know deep in my heart that how I once was is in that layer that just came off.

He knows I had to look at it and choose to walk away from responding the way I had in the past to pain that exists in the world.

I know He choose me and change comes through Him, He is smiling as this revelation hits my mind and takes up residence as a truth now rooted in my new clean heart.

Jesus is smiling now as he pauses His work. It is sparkling clear to me that the work He is doing in my heart is a process He gently takes me through as I am ready, as we are all ready for the next steps.

His kindness and compassion fill this room and I find strength in this heart he has so gently begun to change.

He does this for everyone and he is doing this right now as we keep inviting him in each day and surrender more and more.

Praise His mighty Name!

“If his work stands the test of fire, he will be rewarded.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬ ‭TPT‬‬

 

~ by Sean Schumacher

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Sean Schumacher

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