Even Though....

I was the nails that were used to hang Jesus. Sin gripped it's hands around me and shoved me through the flesh and bones of the Lord.

The assignment for this week,  for my Encourager's Christian Writers Group, was to write about an inanimate object, in first person, 500 words or less.

I knew right away I wanted to write about His nails. So I pondered the thoughts of words I would write. Aw, this will sound good.  Then the ideas began to fade. I need a visual to work with. God give me something. Anything. I pleaded this as I walked outside.

What I saw next was perfect. A railroad spike just lay on the ground. Right in front of me lay the perfect tool to use in my writing. Thank you God for giving me this perfect prop. Cold heard, mean. That was the "me" I would "talk though".

Two weeks later, I had still not written anything. Sitting at my kitchen table I pulled out my memo tablet and began to write. Poems. Sentences. Words that mean everything I would feel but never fell perfectly in place. My thoughts were there but the format was scattered and falling apart. 

I lowered my head, ran my fingers through my hair and prayed. God what do you want me to write?

"Even though" The words spoke to my spirit.

"Even though? Even though what? That's it? Even though?"

I picked up the spike of a nail and felt its every shape, bump and imperfection,  I knew everything about it. How it must have been beyond excruciating for the nail to be driven into the feet and hands of Jesus.  It made me tremble. I placed the spiked nail down in front of me.

I have to write about the pain. About the flesh hanging feeling the blood pour from the Lords every dying pulse of His breaking heart beat.

God repeated His words, "Even though."

"God, Even though... what?" I almost argued with Him. "That isn't long enough."  I walked in the bathroom and  picked up the bottle of nail polish. Returning to the table, I painted the nail in a deep red, to represent His precious blood that shed. I, the nail, caused the bleeding.

"Even Though", He said again.

Yes, God,  I know, Even though.

The Holy Spirit poured His love over me as the next line came. I knew then..it was enough.

 Even though.... I was used in sin, God used me in His plan of salvation.

Thank You God.  Silence. I was wrapped in the love of the Holy Spirit who removed the pain of guilt of being the sin nail that made Him hang and die, and brought me to Jesus saying to me, "I am using this for Me"

No matter the sin, no matter the ugly, the hurt, the pain, the shame and the struggle... No matter what Satan used you for in his plans, God can help you say, just as the nail,
" Even though.... I was used in sin, God used me in His plan of salvation." 
 
A quote from Matthew Barnett.... "Your moment of brokenness will one day be a weapon of usefulness."

1 Peter 2: 24-25 NIV: “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”  For “you were like sheep going astray,”^[but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
 

Heavenly Father, help me to take each lesson  and each conquered moment to draw another person closer to the You. Sin may have captured me but through those moments, that brought  me to surrender... there is a plan. Let it be Your plan to use me bring another home to You.

Even though....