Shielded from the Air

Sometimes I just go into my shop, fire up the welder, put on my welding hood (because I see through a glass darkly, 1 Corinthians 13:12), and let the sparks fly.

Iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17), but iron also welds together very nicely.

I enjoy this.

The welding rod, which is what I hold with the welding handle (called the “stinger“), has a coating on it.

http://schools-wikipedia.org/images/362/36265.jpg

You can see the metal rod, with the thicker coating which covers the rod itself, here:

http://www.zverina.com/kalakala/images/rod.jpg

The coating on the rod, when superheated, turns to a gas, which is just enough to shield the metal being welded together. Where the metal is being welded, the gas displaces the air, and “pushes” the air away from the surface of the metal.

Metals won't bond together in the presence of the air we breath.

The air contains toxins, trace elements of other gases, chemicals, dirt, dust, and pollution. That accounts for about 80% of the air we breathe. The remaining 20%, is oxygen. (Thank God!)

This “junk” in the air prevents metals from bonding, so it is necessary to place a shield around the metal.

Christians also have a shield, which keeps the air (the prince of the power of the air, Ephesians 2:2) away from us, so that we (the iron which sharpens iron) can bond with each other (Ephesians 4:3).

When Christians put on the whole armor of God, which includes the "Shield" of faith, we have enough to shield us from the enemy.

After welding metal together, the heat from the process (the refiners fire, Malachi 3:2) has produced stresses in the metal.

The stresses need to be relieved, so I take a hammer (called a Ball Peen hammer) and beat the weld.

Striking the weld relieves the stresses built up when the metal has cooled.

This striking technique causes the stresses within the weld to be partially, or completely removed.

I know that my Redeemer is the master craftsman, refining me.

When I’m in my shop I focus on Spiritual things to such a degree, comparing the physical with the Spiritual, that if I actually get any work done, it’s a bonus. I'm just in my shop, I'm not under any pressure.

This is how I deal with “stresses” in my life, and I'm blessed by the Master Craftsman that He has provided an outlet for me.