A Throwaway Flashlight
We purchased one of those “throwaway” flashlights. It cost just a little more than a couple of new batteries. So when the light goes out, no fuss, no muss, no bulbs to buy or batteries to replace, just throw the whole thing away and buy another all ready to go.
Well, the light on our “throwaway” flashlight began to fade. Out of habit, I found myself looking for new batteries. Suddenly I remembered that this was a “throwaway.” I carefully looked it over to make sure there was not a place where new batteries could be inserted. Something in me resisted just throwing that flashlight away. It seemed such a waste. I looked at that fading light and thought, “What a pity!” There was nothing anyone could do to keep it from going out.
But that was the way its creator had designed it. It was intended from the beginning to be thrown away when its light stopped shining. It was not designed to get new batteries or be recharged. No way was provided for such a thing to happen. It was sealed shut. That was the intent. That was the design.
As I reluctantly tossed that “throwaway” flashlight into the trash can, its light now just a faint glow, I thought of the times I had resembled that flashlight. I thought of the times my light was nothing more than a faint glow and the times I truly believed it was surely going to go completely out. I also thought of the times my Creator came to me and renewed me. How He gave me new batteries, thus enabling my light to continue to shine. It is certainly wonderful that our Creator did not design us to be “throwaways.”
Oh Lord, renew our spirits when they become weakened. Hold us up when we would faint. Keep burning within us the Light of Life. Thank you for keeping us and not throwing us away.
