Lessons From The Dental Chair by Sharon Heagy

Happy New Year?  Then what was I doing at the dentist office on January second?  While I am thankful for these folks who dare to gaze into our facial caverns, I must say…. they make me nervous.  In the past, nerves caused my feet to unwillingly suspend off the end of the dentist’s chair. This has not happened in awhile due to the trust built between me and my Doctor.  But now I have a new guy.  After 40 years with the same person prodding and poking around, I now have a new guy. Ugh. And not only is there a new guy, there is a new chair which can only be accessed from one side.  The side closest to the dentist. Not closest to the escape hatch, I mean door. I sidled over to the ominous chair. My cold clammy palm led the way as if it could protect or warn the rest of my body for what was to come. Ready for cold, stiff plastic it slid across smooth black fabric in surprise.  The leather was soft and inviting and the rest of my body followed, enticed by the promise of comfort.  Perhaps it was a trap. My pounding heart rate was diminishing. I was getting comfortable.

The dentist and assistant chatted a bit in ‘Dentaleze’ then turned their attention to me. Commands came thick and fast.  ‘Open, close, turn towards me, more, wider’. I responded to each command promptly like a dental recruit. Obedient to the voice of this stranger. A stranger.

 My obedience is not so quick when I hear the voice of my Father who loves me and knows every hair on my head.  If my curly mop was God’s paint by number, there would be a shade for each strand. But I find myself like Paul, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Romans 7:15NIV) I hesitate and form excuses and think ‘Don’t you trust Him? If you really trusted him your obedience would be instant. Like God’s good recruit.

Obedience is a learned concept and I am a work in progress. God is teaching and encouraging me to be intentional, to respond to his voice immediately with words like Samuel’s, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” (I Samuel 3:10b) To what end?  To be a better daughter of the King? For my own well being? Because He said so?  The short answer is a resounding yes.  But if I desire to be an instrument, tuned to the Lord to accomplish His purposes, to instill hope in others through my words, spoken or written, obedience is critical.

In this crumbling fallen world there is a sense of hopelessness. Many people echo the words of Lamentations 3:19-20. They remember their affliction, lack of direction and bitterness. Their souls are downcast in despair. They stop and stew and dwell, wallowing in the pit. As authors of anecdotes and craftsmen of words, may we join other keepers of the Light, and lead folks onward to Lamentations 3:21-23, “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”  I am called to be obedient.

Obedience and hope are inseparable. Two words that will not only be my focus but will also be my prayer for every faith filled artist in every medium. May each one’s work abound in hopefulness for a Happy New Year indeed.