Not Yet

Scripture Reading: James 1:2-12

Key Verses: James 1:2-4
              My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because
              you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience. Let your patience show
              itself perfectly in what you do. Then you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you
              need.

There was a couple who used to go to England to shop in the beautiful stores. This was their 25th wedding anniversary. They both liked antiques and pottery and especially teacups. One day in this beautiful shop they saw a beautiful teacup. They said, "May we see that? We've never seen one quite so beautiful." As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke. "You don't understand," it said. "I haven't always been a teacup. There was a time when I was red and I was clay. My master took me and rolled me and patted me over and over and I yelled out, 'Let me alone,' but he only smiled, 'Not yet.' "Then I was placed on a spinning wheel," the teacup said, "and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. "Stop it! I'm getting dizzy!' I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, "Not yet.' "then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I wondered why he wanted to burn me, and I yelled, and I knocked at the door. I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as he shook his head , "Not yet.' "Then suddenly he put me back into the oven, not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. All the time I could see him through the opening nodding his head, saying, 'Not yet.' "Then I knew there wasn't any hope. I would never make it. I was ready to give up. But then the door opened and he took me out and placed me on the shelf. One hour later he handed me a mirror and said, "Look at yourself.' And I did. I said, 'That's not  me; that couldn't be me. It's beautiful. I'm beautiful.' " 'I want you to remember, then, ' he said, 'I know it hurt to be rolled and patted, but if I just left you, you'd have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if i hadn't done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have had any color in your life, and if I hadn't put you back in that second oven, you wouldn't survive for very long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. You are what I had in mind when I first began with you.' "

As Christians we will face many adversities in life. Trials that will attempt to split up our relationships, separate us from our children, our in-laws, our churches, and even our businesses. That's life! Some of us are in the oven screaming, hollering, kicking on the door, and yelling. Some of us are in the glaze stage and are getting our final paint job. The fumes and stench are bothering us and making our heads go in circles. A few of us are going round and round on the spinning wheel. We are disoriented and just want off. It's got to stop someday, so we figure it might as well be today. Everything is a mess, and God keeps saying, "Not yet, not yet." How much do you trust God with your life? Do you have a big box or a little box for Him?

Reading On: 1 Corinthians 10:13; Romans 8:28; Romans 4:20-21; John 10:10