I’m just willing to bet that three words you never want to hear are: “You’ve got termites!” I didn’t so much hear them, I SAW them! After calling our pest control, they confirmed what I already knew: we have termites. If you’ve read these ramblings very often you inevitably heard me bemoan the pains of remodeling. Seems we’re in perpetual remodel around here. You own a home you keep it up. It’s amazing all of the things that tear at your home from the outside & inside!
Not only do we have to have repairs for the termites, we are also dealing with the havoc brought on by wood ants. You’d think that something sooo small couldn’t do that much damage… but you’d be wrong. If not dealt with these pests will eat your house down to the very foundation, & if you don’t have a rock solid foundation, they’ll destroy that too!
The good news for us is that we have a contract with Terminex. As I’ve shared, I was already in process of restoring said home when I came upon the damage. The inspector said it was a good thing I was already working on things or I might not have seen the damage until it was far worse. So there’s good news in all this?! Well, I guess. Again, we have a contract that ensures complete restoration (and I don’t even have to do the work!). The contractor told my wife, “Ma’am, we’ll make it just like new.”
Of course I was none to happy about all the destruction & headache caused by these evil little critters. In prayer I asked, “Lord, what am I supposed to learn from all this mess?” Didn’t take the Lord real long to hit me between my spiritual eyes with this tidbit: we try to keep little sins, pet & private, that will eat away at our very lives. If we don’t deal with these evil thoughts & deeds, they’ll eat at our own lives till they’re destroyed.
Wood ants, termites, silverfish, roaches; all unwanted & destructive. Anger, jealousy, lust, hate, gossip, lies…the list goes on and on. Get gut level honest. What do you struggle with? I don’t care how ‘super spiritual’ you are, you will have to deal with sin as long as you live. I suppose the trick is not letting it infest your heart, life & mind.
I’ve got to be honest with you. If you have never given your life over to God’s saving control it’s an absolute lost battle. No protection, no hope of restoration in sight. I don’t mean a ‘dose of church’ to ease the conscience. I mean serious salvation. Getting gut level honest with God, calling out for forgiveness & cleansing.
‘It wasn't so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God's gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this.” Titus 3:2-4 The Message
You know, in the scheme of life, a little pest problem is not really anything to whine about. There are real issues & concerns facing those around us that something so trivial. But in the soul arena, sin-infested lives are a whole other matter. Is your ‘house’ cleaned up or do you need to get rid of some pests that are eating away at your life? I appreciate the promise in these verses of God’s restoring power. He doesn’t just paint over our damage, He restores the damage. I’m no pest control but glad to pray with and for you. As always, please return the favor.
You’ll find all the contact info below you need. Feel free to call on me anytime.
Dave Jackson-Campus Minister djackson@absc.org
Cell- 870-217-9376
http://www.myspace.com/davejacksonnewport
BCM Website: http://www.bcmasunewport.org
Dave Jackson on Facebook.
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