Easy Exchange Policy

      First of all, I want to say thank you to each of you who take the time out of your busy schedule to read Join the Journey.  I especially want to thank those who take the time to comment.  Your opinion and input is valuable to me as I try to determine what vein to continue in for the future.  I know there are thousands of blogs out there to read much better than mine, however, my prayer is that you will be encouraged in your journey.  Thanks!
      The customer service desk.  We have all been there.  When you think about it, it is a pretty cool place.  I have something that doesn't fit, doesn't work, I simply carry it up to the customer service desk and tell them I want one that fits, works and the exchange is made.  It gives you confidence in a store that allows you to do that.  You don't have to shop with the fear, "if this doesn't work, I'm stuck with it."  Instead, you shop freely, knowing that the exchange is possible.  Stores that have an easy exchange policy usually have big customer loyalty.   They love their customers and their customers love them.  That is essential to succeed in retail business.
      That is a very good picture of the Christian life.  We can bring our feet of clay, broken vessels, our weaknesses, failures, inabilities, fears and exchange them for something that works.  We usually need to acknowledge what's defective so it can possibly be fixed, but if not, it still can be exchanged for whatever is needed to bring satisfaction to the dysfunction.  We are both the merchandise and the ones who use the merchandise.  In other words, we are the defective misfits and the exchanged working merchandise and the ones who now have something capable of being used.  All because of God's "easy exchange policy".  Scripture teaches us that when we are weak, He makes us strong.  EXCHANGED!  He has not given us a spirit of fear, but boldness and a sound mind.  EXCHANGED!  When we lack wisdom, we ask and He gives  liberally.  EXCHANGED!  When our GPS is not working, He directs our paths.  EXCHANGED!  When we lack abilities, He gives us talents.  EXCHANGED!  When our drive is broken, He gives us a fire within.  EXCHANGED!  When  our "figureitoutter" is malfunctioning, He gives us creativity.  EXCHANGED!  When we lose our life, He gives us our life.  Ashes for beauty, spirit of heaviness for rejoicing.  EXCHANGED!______________________________.  EXCHANGED!  You fill in your own blanks.
       That is a pretty good exchange policy and because of this policy we know HE LOVES US .   Well, there is good news and bad news with that policy.  The bad news, the small print, that should be LARGE PRINT, is that this exchange policy eliminates all excuses for failure to serve.  Everything that didn't work has been replaced with things that work far beyond what you and I can imagine. As a matter of fact, we have a spiritual technician who goes out on the job with us to make sure everything is in working order.  He even makes everything work better than we thought it was designed to.  (can I end a sentence with "to"?)  He puts His authority, His ability, His power behind the warranty.
     The good news, He is ready for you to go to work with all the EXCHANGED merchandise and He is your co-worker.  JOIN THE JOURNEY with the EXCHANGED LIFE!