I’ve been sewing on my Gram’s old sewing machine for 35 years. It’s a 1972 Kenmore machine, made mostly of metal, and nearly indestructible.

This morning, I sat down at the machine and started a new project. As I began to sew, the bobbin case started to make an awful sound. Thread had gotten stuck in the bobbin case, and the machine was stuck. I tried to clear the thread, but realized the problem was deeper and needed a closer look.

Sure enough, the whole bobbin shuttle was tied up like a rat’s nest. I had to completely remove the shuttle, which is 2 pieces that nest together, and clean out all of the thread. For those of you who don’t sew, the bobbin feeds the lower threads to make complete stitches. Without the bottom bobbin thread, no complete stitches will form.

I replaced the shuttle pieces and reinserted the bobbin back into the case. I figured I was good to go, but to my disappointment, the bobbin jammed again, and the machine wouldn’t go. Hmm. . .

I took everything apart and put it back together. Another jam. I repeated the process several more times with the same results. My frustration began to build. I knew this machine well. I had done this bobbin process dozens of times in the past 35 years.

Finally, I reached for the manual sitting on my shelf. This manual is so cute. The cover shows a faded drawing of a woman wearing a collared dress, high heels, and an upswept hairstyle, sitting at a sewing machine. I can relate, because I always dress up before any sewing project! Humour aside, this manual is very important because it tells you what to do when a sewing issue pops up.

I turned to the page about bobbin problems and read the text. I realized that I had been repeatedly making the same mistake over and over without realizing it. I had been putting one of the pieces of the bobbin shuttle in backwards. I thought it was correct because it actually fit.

It was in the right location but the wrong position.

I felt God speaking right to my heart with those very words. I have been in places in my life where I was in the right location, but my heart was not in the right position. Whoa. That stung.

At times, I have been sitting in the church Worship Center, but not worshipping God, letting my thoughts go everywhere except on Him. I have had my head bowed in prayer, but my thoughts only focused on myself and my needs. I have had my Bible sitting in my lap but not reading the words. Right location, wrong position.

Just because the exterior looks good and fits in well doesn’t mean the interior is functioning properly. Isn’t that like so many of us? We can dress up well, attend church, open our Bibles, serve others, and smile a lot, but that doesn’t mean our heart is positioned like it should be.

Jesus had a lot to say about this position problem in the New Testament. The religious leaders of that day were located well. They dressed the part, acted the part, and talked the part. They fit in well and fooled everyone but Jesus. He knew where their hearts were positioned. He knew their priorities and their motives. They were off track but didn’t realize it.

Because I’m human, I can easily get off track and out of position. Thankfully, I have the manual God gave us. His words are written in a book that is easily available to anyone. The Bible has all of the wisdom we need to get back into position.

Romans 12:2 tells us to renew our minds in Christ, which will transform us. How do we renew? By intentionally focusing on God. Remember who He is, what He has done, and what he promises to do. For me, this means reading my Bible. Here are a few verses I meditate on:

2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind

James 4:8 says that when we draw near to God, He will draw near to us

Psalm 139:23-24 (One of my favorite passages to pray)

Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts. And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

2 Corinthians 10:17 tells us that if any of us has a relationship with Christ, they are a new creation. Their old life is gone, and their new life is here.

This new life God promises is not just our location; it is our position. We can do all of the right things, but be far from Him. Our new life starts with humbling ourselves and admitting we have a problem. That problem is sin – we’ve all disobeyed – every single one of us (see Romans 3:23).

Next, we acknowledge that Jesus is the perfect Son of God and that He is the only one who can reconcile our problem. We can’t take care of that problem by ourselves – we need a rescuer, and Jesus is it. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

John 3:16 is the key verse that brings this idea together. Because God loves us and gave up His Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for our sins, anyone who believes in Him will have a new and eternal life with God.

And God is so good as to assure us that we’re in the right position. He tells us in Romans 10:9, “Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

If you struggle with trying to be in the right position, let me know. We can look at the manual together.