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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Threefold Cord (04/12/12)
I have a confession; I am crazy about duct tape. We have it dotted all around our house - in fluorescent yellow, mind you. It's on our television - to stop our nearly-two-year-old from turning it off at the button. It's on the television remote - to fix the cracks caused by the nearly-two-year-old, as well as hold in the batteries since the cover was taken hostage by the nearly-two-year-old. It holds together books torn apart by . . . yes, you guessed it, our nearly-two-year-old tornado. And it comes in very handy when making robots out of recycled boxes with our 5-year-old.

Ah yes, duct tape is a marvel of the modern world. Created in 1942 by the Johnson and Johnson Permacel Division, it is made by sandwiching a fabric mesh between a top layer of plastic and a rubber-based adhesive base. One of the first groups to benefit from the tape was the US Military, using it to keep ammunition cases waterproof. It worked so well, they soon started using it to fix . . . well, pretty much everything, from guns and jeeps to aircraft. Yes, they were flying planes held together by duct tape. I'm guessing that most of you are reading this open-mouthed at the thought of fixing a plane with duct tape, but let me reassure you, it's strong stuff. This three-layered wonder of stickiness can, when doubled over, pull a 2000lb car out of a ditch. Good to know for my next camping trip; leave the rope, pack the duct tape. (1)

As I was pondering the ins and outs of duct tape, I was led to think about how God uses his people in a similar way. Some of us are like the plastic, providing a covering of prayer for others. Some of us are more like the mesh, strong and resilient, able to carry others through the storms of life. Others of us are like the sticky adhesive, able to hang in there and stick by others no matter what.

All of these are great characteristics, and by ourselves we can achieve good things in our church and the lives of others, but when we allow God to use us together we become like spiritual duct tape, or SDT; a strong, protective multi-purpose tool that can fix any problem the church may face. Is gossip a problem? No problem, just cover it with a strip of SDT. Money problems? SDT it! Is there a marriage in crisis? Then what are you waiting for, go and get the SDT onto it, ASAP.

God is longing to see people in his church healed and set free from all kinds of troubles, and he wants us to step up and be the conduit of his miracles here on earth. When we come together in God, our natural strengths become supernaturally charged, and like the duct tape pulling the wayward vehicle from a ditch on a treacherous road, so too can we be the tool by which another soul is pulled back onto the straight and narrow path of God.

~ ~ ~ ~


If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
Ecclesiastes 4:10, NIV 1984


(1) http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/ducttape.htm
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This article has been read 1485 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
C D Swanson 
04/20/12
What an interesting entry. I loved the story of duct tape and the analogies associated with it. Smiled at the "two year old tornado"

Cute, fun and original. Nice job with this.

God Bless~
Graham Insley
04/22/12
Who would have thought...?

Made me want to go out and buy duct tape.

Very good.
annie keys
04/22/12
I LOVE THIS! What a great analogy between holding each other together and duct tape. Plus the History of duct tape along with. Love it.

Well written, great message plus some interesting facts. Good job; well done.
Verna Cole Mitchell 
04/22/12
"Spiritual duct tape"--now that's something to think about. You have a really good message for the church clearly presented in your piece.
Allison Egley 
04/22/12
Hehehe this is great. The part about pulling a car out of ditch reminded me of the Mythbusters episode(s) on duct tape.
Donna Wilcher
04/22/12
Wow...this one took me by surprise! SDT! Ha! I love it, and I love the message!
Laury Hubrich 
04/23/12
This is probably one of the best devotionals I've read in a long time! Great job.
Allen Povenmire
04/25/12
Wonderfuly written devotional. I could see using it in a demonstrative manner. Good job.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
04/26/12
Oh I love this. It was so fresh and so on topic. I liked the three types of people too. My husband and daughter are nuts over duct tape too. The opening paragraph made me grin and think of my daughter with her purple duct tape. You did a fantastic job pulling this all together. it is one of my favorites this week.
annie keys
04/26/12
Congratulations! I just KNEW this had to be a winner, when I first read it!
Amanda Brogan
05/01/12
Can't help but think of MacGyver. Never leaving home without his duct tape. :)

This was fun! I didn't get a chance to read it last week, but better late than never! ;)

Great job!