The importance of alignment

For the last three weeks our front door was out of order.  We left home having locked it after setting the alarm only to find that it refused to open when we returned. The key failed to turn more than a quarter of the way. Fortunately we had a back door key, though I couldn't reach the alarm before its shrill loudness did it's best to awake the neighbourhood.   A kind neighbour who is something of an engineering genius, though his specialism is veteran racing car engines, managed to unjam it and proceeded to unscrew bits of the long strip running down the length of the door.  Its design has locks at top and bottom as well as at the handle.

With some huffing and puffing he diagnosed internal trouble with the lock mechanism itself.  Just as he was giving up he used brute force to free up the lock mechanism. 'Well, if in trouble just hit with a hammer' he said.  Alas, two days later it jammed again. 

The fitters agree to send an engineer in three weeks time.  Yesterday he arrived, having drivne from Great Yarmouth.  He drove a large orange van but came in with a screwdriver and a can of oil.  To my astonishment he didn't touch the door at all.  With some deft turns of the screw driver at the hinges he opened and closed the door several times.  Than squirted oil into the lock as he pronounced it was now operable.

Over an Americano I expressed surprise that it had taken only a couple of minutes. 'Ah' he said. 'It's all about alignment. It wasn't properly aligned so I had to work with the hinges.'  Of course, I am no longer a regular preacher but what a gift about the most important alignment in life.  Alignment to God's will, seeking first his kingdom. We know how easy it is to be misalligned (is that a word?) and jammed up, but what joy, in confession, to know his Spirit is ever ready to help us make adjustments and open ourselves up to his renewing work.  And there's fresh anointing possible too.