Now, THAT is an understatement! Over the years I have put together tools, toys, cars, buildings, furniture and many other things that required some assembly. Problems over the years remain consistent. First is the problem of left over parts, screws, bolts, nails, and other small items. It only took me 30 years to discover that extra items are added for the purpose of making sure we are confused for at least a few months. Whenever I've had leftover items the "look" on my families faces said it all: "What did you do wrong?" The second problem is the unmarked items that make up the whole (no less that 5-10) per box) item. I've put things together with shelving upside down or backwards...works just fine. "Is that the way it's supposed to be?" "Yes, they just made a mistake when sending the pieces unmarked." No one is buying it but that's what I say. Third is the problem with time management. This should take you only 2 hours with only 3 tools; a screwdriver, hammer and glue. Right! The only way I've been able to make the 2 hour time limit was to buy it preassembled at the store! Finally, whatever it is, it's required of me to do it right away because: it's the night before Christmas, family is coming over tomorrow, the kids have already seen the box, and on and on go the reasons.
It's not much different with my computer. It reminds me almost daily to update this or that. Then, of course, there is the ultimatum of "restart your computer to install these updates or else." I am for the most part a patient man. Just as long as I don't need to assemble anything and my computer doesn't threaten me. I can even tolerate people for the most part. Then again, maybe it's the other way around and I'm able to be level enough for other people to tolerate me. It reminds me of bumper stickers. One in particular states: "Be patient with me, God's not finished yet." Okay, when will he be done with me? In my spiritual life I need to have assembly and reassembly of who I am in Christ almost on a daily basis. I make discoveries in the Bible or devotional time and God says, "we need to restart you in order for this program to run." Restarting for the Christian seems to only take place when we are awake. It seems like everyday I am shown new truths that cause the Holy Spirit to unassemble, reassemble, and restart the basic program with the new and improved me. Not that it's bad, but why all the time?
I opened a box containing what was supposed to be a simple 2 hours some assembly piece of furniture. That was my first mistake but I couldn't find a per-assembled one in any of the stores. My first two hours were spent searching for an assembled piece of furniture in many of the stores in my area. They could all assemble one for me for a fee. I bought the unassembled one to save money. I knew this would cost me in more ways than one. The piece of furniture assembled was to be 3 feet high, 5 feet wide and 2 1/2 feet deep. It had 2 drawers, 2 doors, 6 shelves and a piece on the top that had a hinge to open a secret compartment for whatever you wanted to put there. The box seemed to be 2 feet wide, 4 inches thick and 5 feet long. HOW did they put all that stuff in there? Is there a school where they teach engineers how to pack all that stuff in there? Two days later and several breaks later the piece is assembled, in my family room and looks okay. It's functional and everyone is happy with it. Never again he said!
Unlike me the cabinet doesn't require unassembly or updating. It's a cabinet. I'm in need of updating and fixing on a daily basis. God is patient with me and isn't forcing me to update, change or throw out the old. God simply says to you and I that he wished the best he can give for us. I don't mean that materially; though he does bless us that way. I mean that he wants us to be more like Jesus. He wants us to be a new creation daily and for us to enjoy the relationship with him that was once Adam and Eve's. In order to do that we need to let him do some maintenance, updating and sometimes even assembly in our lives. It's been said that sometimes a life has to come to a wrecked state before that life can be saved. When we come to the end of ourselves God is there ready and able to update, assemble and maintain his creation...us.
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