Month: January 2011

The Mechanist’s Friend

He was old, and tired, and ready to quit.
It had been a long life, and a good one – why, at the high point of his career, he had created automata for Kings! And, at the low point, for demons.

But it had been a long life, and no one was interested in little automata now. They had all moved on, found new trivial things to tickle their fancies.

And so he tinkered at his workbench, for lack of anything else to do. And before he knew it, his hands found those tools again. The metal fell into place again, and a tiny creature sprang to life.

He chuckled, as he always did. Tiny newborn thing of gears and wires. Ah, but they always had such searching eyes. Looking for knowledge. Looking to please their masters.

It turned sparkling teal eyes upon him, obediently waiting his command.

Well, he thought, it would be cruel to shuffle off when this little one needs a master…

And so he began again to father another little life.

Beware the Rebel Sigh

Spirit of God, descend upon my heart;
wean it from earth; through all its pulses move;
stoop to my weakness, mighty as thou art,
and make me love thee as I ought to love.

Teach me to feel that thou art always nigh;
teach me the struggles of the soul to bear.
To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh,
teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.

Words by George Croly

I have to say that I frequently deal with “the rebel sigh” – the bit on the inside of you that whines and protests Why are they asking me to do this? Why do I have to do this? Why am I supposed to do this? I do enough already.

It’s a very, very human emotion. And it leads to a strangling thorn of bitterness in the soul, that will overtake your soul’s garden, and worm its root deep until it is the only thing you can find there.

The way to overcome this emotion is to go back, with Isaac Watts, to Survey the Wondrous Cross, where your journey began. To see what Christ did for me, through His death. And to realize that,

Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were a present far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all

We are only here for a short while.  I want to echo Josh Wilson and say

Oh, I refuse to Sit around and wait for someone else
To do what God has called me to do myself.

And go, do the work I have been called to do.