UNBROKEN CHAIN

UNBROKEN CHAIN

                “Jerry, we need to talk…”  “…sure, I will come right over…”  My wife looked at me and quizzed, “who…? What…?”  I told her that James wanted something, but did not say what.  I was puzzled and concerned that maybe my dogs had gotten out and killed his cats, or something worse?!  I drove around to his half of the forty, and he graciously offered some garden peppers.  “…no, thanks; heartburn… what’s going on…”  “My brother, Joe saw it first; I had not even noticed…” James then pointed to a fifty foot tall pine with no green needles on it!  “Whoa, James, I had not noticed it; but you need to park your truck away from its radius until …” “…not today…”  “Saturday?”

 
                In the mean time, my wife called our oldest son, Jeremiah, and our son-in-law, David.  With advice from co-workers, loaned chains, a 2-ton come-along, a winch, Jeremiah, James, and I began our safety work-order the next Saturday!  About half way up the tree, we wrapped a chain into itself, and attached two more lengths of chain, and finally attached a long-chain come-along, which was chained to the bottom of a tree some fifty feet away.  Jeremiah offered to run the chain saw, but I told him he had a family to raise.  “… if something happens, tell them I love them…”  And, with the chain tightened, to ensure the tree did not fall towards the truck shed, I made my first cut a bate on the side we wanted it to fall.  “Jeremiah, tighten the chain some more…”  Fearful of falling dead limbs, I began my cut on the other side.  I heard a crack, and I yelled, “Run; … run, NOW; it’s falling…”  Ka-whop!  “Jeremiah, you OK?!  Answer me, Jeremiah!”  A voice some thirty yards to the side came back, “here I am!”  My next words to James were “thank the Lord”  The chain held and nobody and nothing was hurt.

                How many links have to hold?  ALL of them!  If even one breaks, it does not affect just that one link?!  All sorts of things could happen, most of them bad.  But, all the links held.  Everybody went home safe.  And, a F150 can sleep peacefully, not to mention my wife’s concerns.  But, what if …?!

                I think of my departed dad, his children, their children, now, their children – four generations.  Like a chain, the generations are stretching out.  And I pray for the next two generations, yet unborn – them, their unborn spouses, their in-laws to-be, all who effect this chain!  I pray for people involved in the lives of my grandkids.  “…keep the chain of faith strong and going…”

                I have a nephew who has no time for Jesus, seemingly.  He has broken the chain.  Two little girls are dangling loose on the chain.  Their grandparents have stepped in, thank the Lord!  Some chains are double linked!  In fact, this inter-generational chain resembles a cross-linked chain web-net, in some ways!

                I am reminded of Paul’s comments to his protégé, Timothy – “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” (2Tim.1:5 NIV)  That’s what I am talking about!  (there is no mention of his dad, or grandfather?!  Do NOT be the missing link!)  Mothers, God bless them, hold together the family.  But, where are the “bull links”?!  I am not fully convinced of the state of the departed; but, I envision an Old Man, somewhere, pleading for his family?!  Much like Obi-Wan Kenobi told Luke, “… I will be far more powerful than you can imagine…”?!  But, I do know that the living can pray for the future generations.  Join me in this prayer for your grandkids future grandkids and their spouses, yet unborn.

                Some hear slavery and confinement when they think “chain”.  Others envision a ship securely anchored against the storm by an anchor chain.  One could even imagine the protective shield afforded by the interlocked links of a knight’s chain mail armor.  Connection is fundamentally heard in the word “chain”.  Animals could be chained for their own protection from the highway, and for the protection of trespassing neighbors?!  Chains can transmit power.  Chains can lock gates and prevent escape and invasion or burglary.  The list goes on?  Chains serve many purposes.

                Another thought that needs to be developed is chain care and maintenance.  What weakens a chain?  What corrodes a chain?  What are chain abuses and misuses?  How does one protect and maintain a chain?  Just some things to ponder!