Strong Nails help to strengthen the Solid Foundation (Part II)

Snow in the forecast! Seriously? To live in Central New York one requires the ability to accept change and be resilient. The recent weather forecast is evidence of this requirement. I remember my freshman year in college someone asked where I lived and I responded, “Upstate New York, less than a mile off Lake Ontario in Oswego County.” I’m not sure which was funnier their verbal or non-verbal response. Her eyes bugged wide open as she declared, “Oh, your tough then. My mom warned me to be careful of anyone from upstate because you are tough nuts.”

Of course I laughed my head off and assured her I wasn’t too tough, if anything I was little dependent and wimpy. After some thought and a phone call home I understood this girl’s mother’s statement a little better. I don’t believe she meant to insinuate we were tough like bullies but instead, tough like nails. I’m all for being tough like a nail, aren’t you?

Even though I didn’t see myself this way at the time, it is something I have been thankful for since my sister’s kidnapping.  The first decade I tried to do it on my own but the more effort I put in, the weaker, I seemed to be, on the inside. I was only as tough as the cheap aluminum nail holding me together.

Thankfully, in 2004, this changed and I learned it was possible to be the nail made of steel and coated with the protective seal against the pain, hurt, and all the ick life could send in my direction.

Wikipedia defines a nail as “…a nail is a pin-shaped, sharp object of hard metal
or alloy used as a fastener. Formerly wrought iron, today's nails are typically
made of steel, often dipped or coated to prevent corrosion in harsh conditions
or improve adhesion…A nail holds materials together by friction in the axial direction
and shear strength laterally. The point of the nail is also sometimes bent over
or clinched after driving to prevent falling out. Nails are made in a great variety
of forms for specialized purposes.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nail_(fastener)

You are an intelligent and sharp individual, dipped in the blood of Jesus when you accept Him as your Savior. When life seems difficult, with a lot of friction in your path, remember the blood shed for our sins so many years ago. His blood is our protective coating.

Just like a “…nail holds materials together by friction...” we have the ability to hold ourselves together when life’s challenges come our way because we have Jesus! In His shear strength, we stand and keep it together.

It is only with friction that a nail can do its job. Don’t expect life to be all rainbows ~ in order to see the rainbow; we first have to get through the storm.

Close your eyes and imagine all the glorious rooms built in heaven because of the friction in your life. Go and be a nail today, you can do it!

Many nails working together can build great things in His name and strength.

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Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4