A couple days ago my house was in its typical not-perfectly-clean state of life with three kids and a cat, but overall we were organized, and feeling our normal sense of life “under control”. It’s amazing what a difference a moment — or 40 minutes can make. That’s how long it took for a $5 plastic fitting in the bathroom to burst, flooding and destroying two thirds of my house.
A New Landing
Yet even in my not-so-great flood, God only let the waters go so far. It’s unexplainable that most of our personal belongings were not destroyed, even as the walls, ceilings, floors, and two bathrooms were completely totaled. Not one of my kids were hurt, and even the cat kept afloat. God’s purpose for this flood? Perhaps a new landing for us all…
As I write today, I’m in the middle of a house that no longer looks like mine. I’m grateful for that — because this house — like everything else in my life is His first, and I am simply a steward of it. If His house needed to be rebuilt, then I will praise Him in the demolition. I’m also grateful as I see the beauty just starting to brim from the ashes as well.
Our Construction Manager
I don’t know if the men working in my house know their Boss. As I cooked dinner for them last night and sat with them talking, I told them how blessed we feel that they were working so hard. I’m hoping to show them while they’re here that they’re not working for us. This is not our house. My Lord is the project manager here, and His plan is much better than any of ours.
His Good Plan
I’m excited to know that He also knew of it long before we did. He watched me upstairs going about my normal routine, unaware, as the waters rushed through the lower floors of my house. He knew to stop the current that could have electrified the water from the appliances plugged in, even as I ran into the water without considering as much to try to shut the valves. He knew that as my husband sat in our half-demolished living room yesterday and read his Bible that the contractor should walk in on him just at that moment. I hope they heard me singing to my praise music last night in my kitchen as they worked late. I hope they see my peace as unshakable even as my surroundings get ripped apart. I hope they heard the joy in my husband’s laughter we watched an air duct gush with gallons of trapped water in the ceiling last night. I hope they walked away seeing something they hadn’t seen before.
I want to be unshakable in this flood even if I’m not perfect. But either way, I know my God can still have His way with His home here. And if just one of these men, or one of mine, gets a little closer to Him in the midst of the waters, it will have been worth every drop. Bring the flood, Lord. Your plan is good.
