Hole Punch

Daily Gratitude Year 5-Day 315: Today, I am grateful for the hole punch. 

Office supply stores are a place I can wander for hours. There are so many goodies. The the humble hole punch is certainly one of my favorites. It is 131 years old today. 

The first patent was filed on 14 November 1886 by inventor Friedrich Soennecken. As well as inventing the hole puncher, Mr Soennecken created the ring binder to store the freshly punched sheets and a style of calligraphy designed to be neat yet standardised and easy to learn. As long as we have paper documents, echoes of his inventions will remain with us. 

The hole punch is used with so many projects at my house. I have a supersized pink one that allows me to punch through thicker cardstock and cardboard. It is the first step of setting an eyelet or grommet. It is the perfect hole we need to put a metal ring through papers we want to stay together. 

Practical and functional... and hard working. Yes, imagine an office, home or craft room without a hole punch.  It is a tool no office is complete without. 

Perfect holes. Every time. I use my three hole punch often at work. 

Now, my mind wanders to three holes punched... actually holes made by nails... into a wooden cross more than two thousand years ago. Holes hammered with violent hand while the eyes of the crowd watched. Some grieving deeply. Others caught up in anger and in the violence of the crucifixion. A big job was accomplished that day, and the holes in his hands and feet are a reminder of the cost. 

Our sins were nailed to the cross, and the blood of the perfect lamb shed that once and for all we might be free of our sin debt. The holes are a reminder he took our place. 

Have you ever received a scar or an injury rescuing or protecting a child from danger? A hot stove, a falling pan, a hammer dropped or in a car accident... your instant reaction is to protect your child... not thinking of the personal cost. No cost is too high for the ones you love. Back to the verse from the other day:

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.-John 15:13

We know how much we love our children. But, can we truly understand God's love for us? My verse of the day is a perfect compliment... nailing it... literally. 

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.-1 Peter 3:18

I mess things up. He cleans up my messes. I make imperfect attempts. He is perfection... even to death on the cross. A hole punch makes nice, clean and easy holes. He suffered messy in my place. How can we not love Him with awe and wonder?

Today, I am grateful for the hole punch... for the hands and feet that took the nails for you and me.