Psalm 89:15 – Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord. (NIV)

For a project to work on, my husband and son bought a boat. Some of the seating was worn and needed replacing. Knowing that I do quilting and sewing, they wondered if this were something that I could do. After doing a bit of research, I decided to give it a try. My husband went to the marina and was able to get a free cushion so that I could have a sample for a practice test cushion.

First, I removed the piping that was around the base of the cushion. Then, I removed the staples holding the vinyl cover to the bottom layer of plywood. Inside, there seemed like no end to the layers of plastic foam that had to be removed. As I worked at this, I pondered the importance of using the free cushion as my example rather than the original cushion. This allowed me the freedom to figure it out without jeopardizing the original cushion.

Likewise, when Jesus came to earth, He gave us the free gift of salvation in Him, and He also gave us the freedom to make choices and figure things out without jeopardizing His original gift to us.

As I removed each piece in the free boat cushion, I saw how everything fit together to create it. As I look back on my life, I can see that God has been there at every step in my walk of life. Even though I may have thought that the pieces didn't matter, God knew the outcome, and He knew that each piece fitted together perfectly.

Hebrews 12:1-2a – Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. (NIV)

It would have been so easy to use the original cushion and go for it without a plan, which is what I tend to do at times. In the planning, however, I learned a lot, and, yes, it took more time, but in the long run, it will result in a cushion that resembles the original. In the same way, our Christian walk is about making the right choices and following God's plan for our life. Our goal in everything that we do is to become more like Jesus, our example, and that takes dedication on our part. Let us strive each day in our walk to become more like Jesus.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You that You are the author and perfecter of our faith. Continue to help us in our daily walk to become more like You. Help us also to come alongside others who are struggling and show them Your love. In Your name, we pray. Amen.