Tuesday, January 21, 2003

I know I live in a world of computers, but I think I have an incurable case of technophobia. But during the last few years, I have slowly made friends with these monsters. Early in my computer life, some of my non-technophobic friends were explaining a computer installation to me. And after using all these words I didn't understand, they said, "We'll have to install a dedicated line." Oh, yes! At last I heard a word I understood!

I'm Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about "A Dedicated Line."

Actually, computers and faxes have helped me understand that word "dedicated" more clearly than ever before. Long before computers, Paul was writing about the same idea in our word for today from the Word of God. It's from 2 Timothy 2 , beginning in verse 20. Except then, it was dedicated tools and containers. Here's what he said.

"In a large house, there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work." Now, in those days, it was probably the difference between what held your garbage and what held your gold. Paul was talking about dedicated vessels, dedicated tools. Dedicated as in reserved for special use, for special purposes like a dedicated line.

I think we have a lot of undedicated lines at our house. You know, they're used for all kinds of purposes: running a hair dryer, a microwave, the lights, the TV. But certain machines, like a computer, for example, need a dedicated line reserved for a singular purpose - a direct line between the computer and the power supply so there is no interference, no competition, no intrusion.

Now Paul didn't know about computers. His word processor was some guy taking dictation in the corner. But he knew about things being reserved for a special purpose - actually, people being reserved for a special purpose. You are meant to be a dedicated line - one through whom God can send His love, His thoughts, His power without any interference or competition. How are you doing?

Maybe you've allowed your dedicated body to do things that could not be called "noble" or your mouth to express what a dedicated mouth should never talk about. Maybe your hands have touched what dedicated hands should never touch. Your eyes have seen what dedicated eyes should never look at, or you've allowed your dedicated mind to collect garbage. And while you're trying to live pure, your mind keeps flashing back to sinful scenes, sinful pictures, sinful punch lines. You're too special for that.

Jesus gave His life for you, not just to get you a free ticket to heaven, but to make you an island of clean in a sea of polluted. God's Son made you. God's Son paid for you with His life, and He wants to send His best through you. But God cannot use a dirty instrument. You need to live as if there is a sign on you that says in bold letters, "Reserved for holy purposes. Reserved for the Master's use." Your body, your mind, your mouth, your eyes, your ears, your talents are His. You are the Lord's dedicated line!