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| THE MASTER TRIMMER by Marion Smith For I am the Lord that heals you. (Exodus 15:26) As I took my early morning walk, I noticed almost every other yard in this Houston neighborhood was graced with a beautiful old Live oak tree. Decayed or brittle lower limbs had been removed from all the trees, but the scars of the cuts were not similar. Some were ragged and rough, some protruded from the trunk, and some blended in perfectly with the tree. I concluded the tree trimmer played a major role in the appearance of the scar. Perhaps owners using a saw or ax- hacking away at the unwanted appendage cut the ragged ones. Maybe a professional who didn't do the job quite properly left the protruding scars. But the scars that were smooth and almost invisible must have been trimmed by a master trimmer- a skilled man who took his job seriously and knew what he was doing. God is available to be the master trimmer in our lives. As unholy or ungodly things come into our lives, and even grow as a tree limb would, He is willing and able to cut them out of our lives. God does so with great love- greater than we can truly comprehend. He leaves scars that are not ragged or projecting, scars that will not snag us or look unsightly, but scars that heal so beautifully we forget about the painful removal. A tree gets trimmed when the owner deems it is time, but we must ask God for help. He will take out His chainsaw of love and cut away the dead, unhealthy or unwanted limbs in our life. The scars of pain, rejection, failure, loss, misplaced trust, or unworthy lifestyle will heal beautifully --- for HE is the Master Trimmer! |