Water, water everywhere

  Just the other day I was thinking about how blessed I was to live in a house.  It was teeming outside, rain blowing sideways, and I was suddenly consumed by gratitude that I wasn't huddling for shelter under a bridge or hoping that a piece of cardboard might keep me dry.  It's easy to forget what a blessing a house is, and this particular rainstorm was a pretty strong reminder of what a blessing it is.

  Several days later, in God's wonderful way of working, I was standing in my kitchen when I noticed water coming from a place from which it wasn't supposed to emerge.  Curious, I started poking around to discover that my faucet (and it's fancy technology that is supposed to last so much longer than those regular faucets) was dripping water into the cabinet below.  It wasn't a ton of water, and there wasn't substantial damage, but it was a frustrating morning as I tried to discover the problem and the remedy.  In the midst of my frustration, I remembered that moment when I was awash in the awareness of what a blessing a house can be.  I will admit I laughed out loud as I compared my recent gratitude to my present frustration.  How easily we forget God's gifts and kindness.  How readily we get caught up in the moment and forget the immense blessings God has poured out upon us and we complain about our current situation, even when the current problem is often quite small and easily fixable.

  Now, I don't mean to say that we can't ever lament.  I don't mean to imply that we should feel guilty every time we get upset or frustrated at things in life.  There are many problems much bigger than a leaky faucet, and we should lift them all up to God in prayer.  I believe that God cares deeply about every facet of our lives.

  I just think we also need to remember the grace of God that has been so generously poured into our lives.  Let's not forget that each and every day is a blessing, a free gift.  Let's take the long view, too, and never forget that we have nothing to fear, for God's perfect love casts out fear--even death has been defeated, and the gift of eternity with God is available because of the free gift of Christ's grace.  Let's be grateful for all the gifts God gives, for the life and hope we have in Christ, and put our lament in perspective.  May our frustrations be tempered by the remembrance that death and sin will be crushed and destroyed by the awesome love of God, and that God is with us every moment of the day, ensuring that nothing will ever separate us from him!