Have you ever made something for a single use? You wanted or needed something for a specific purpose and knew you would never use it again.

I guess I’ve done that several times in my life – mostly with games. 

When I was a youth pastor I made up games and contests for my students and then never used them again. 

You’ve heard of bobbing for apples? Well, that’s tame compared to my contest. 

I decided for an event that I would have some of my students – who volunteered to participate, I might add – bob for lifesavers. 

You might not think that is more extreme than bobbing for apples, but let me tell you the conditions: 

First, lifesaver candies do not float like apples do. So the students had to find the lifesavers at the bottom of the container. 

Second, they were not bobbing in water. I had them bobbing for lifesavers in vinegar.  So, yes, I had a few students who went the rest of the night with a red face … but I still had no shortage of volunteers. 

Still, we never played that game again.

There have been other things. 

This past Super Bowl, I made up a game to keep our interest in the football game. I first took a picture of the board game, “Sorry”. Then I found a site that organized the picture to be printed  on multiple sheets of paper, any size I wanted. I made player pieces with the football teams’ logos. We stood my board up and kept the pieces on the board using velcro. 

For each play on the field, we got to move our pieces around the board, just like in Sorry. … But I’m not sure that game will ever get played again. 

For these one use, disposable games and items I have created, I put considerable time and effort into making them.

My wife, Lily, shakes her head at the time I give to these things. She can’t believe I am motivated to make that game but not motivated to redo the flooring in our bathroom.

Well, today I’m going to make something that I will never use. It will be chucked aside as useless when I am done using it the one time I’m making it for. 

I am going to use it for an illustration in my sermon. I think having the real thing will help the illustration work better. 

But once I’m done my sermon, I won’t bother with this item again. 

I don’t think it will be too hard to make. I have to cut a round circle out of a piece of 1/2 inch plywood. Within the circle I have to cut out two round holes. I will sand it down, but I won’t paint it because I need to use it tomorrow morning. 

You might be wondering what it is. It’s called a twiddler.

You put you left thumb in one hole and your right thumb in the other hole. Then you fold your fingers together and rotate your thumbs around each other. 

It is the perfect device for all of us right now who are stuck at home under provincial order.

Here’s the thing: God has created us to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. Sadly, however, some people won’t go on enjoying God forever because they have not given Him glory in this life. Don’t be a single use person to God. Glorify God by putting your faith in Christ. Then you will get to enjoy Him forever. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: How do you think God views you? Leave your comments and questions below. 

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