One day my husband fixed a leak under the commode in my bathroom. Being the handyman he is, he is, he cut a small hole in the floor to make it easier to reach the pipe. Fine--no problem—leak fixed. Now he will fix the hole and life goes on, right? Wrong! He decided to leave the hole for a few days to make sure the leak is really fixed. Now that few days has turned into months. Although it is a small hole, I have tried my best to conceal it but there is just so much I can do to make a hole in the floor attractive. Now fast forward about six months. The hole is still there even though I have done all I can to conceal/decorate it. A hole is a hole and it is still there.
One night I stumble into bed exhausted after transporting four kids to four different activities as well my daily struggles of running a household with four kids. Around 2:00 in the morning my little dog woke me up with frantic barking and yelping. I forced one eye open to see him jumping up and down on the floor by my bed. He looked at me as if to say “I’m trying to protect you, now come on and do your part.” When I did manage to stumble into the bathroom, I was instantly awake. There between the commode and the waste can was a possum! Pugsley, my dog had him trapped. I could not move because I was totally in shock until Pugsley barked again as if to say, “See, I told you. Now get rid of it. I’m tired and want to go to sleep.”
Frantically, I woke up my husband and screamed, “THERE’S A POSSUM IN MY BATHROOM! GET UP AND KILL IT!” He looked at me as though I had totally lost my mind. “Ok, get me something to use to kill it,” he calmly said. I ran to my grandson’s room and came back with a ball bat. I gave the bat to hubby and jumped on my bed and covered my eyes. I could hear the battle raging on the bathroom. “HISS!” “POW!” “KA-POW! “BOOM!” finally all was silent so I opened my eyes. There on the floor lay the lifeless body of the intruder. I picked it up carefully by the tail, placed it into a plastic bag and ran to throw it into the outside garbage can. I was finally able to fall to sleep but the bathroom light was left on for the rest of the night.
I bet you thought this was the end of my story. WRONG! I pulled into my driveway the next morning after running errands and three kids met me at the car. All three were talking at once. I was finally able to understand their excitement when Christian told me, “Nanny, there is a possum in our garbage can,” “and he is alive,” Alyssa interrupted him to excitedly tell me. “Yeah, he is ALIVE!” Nikolas finished with excitement written all over his face. I went over to the garbage can to see for myself. Sure enough, when I raised the lid of the can, I could see two beady little eyes staring up at me. I slammed the lid down and got the kids into the house after explaining to them to stay away from the garbage can and leave the creature alone.
I don’t know what happened to our uninvited guest. The kids think he escaped and is now living happily-albeit traumatized-with his family. I hope that is what happened, but at least, he is living out his life in my house with my family.
When I was finally able to sit down for my visit with God, I asked Him, as I always do “What doe you want to talk bout today, Father?” His answer came as a total surprise to me. “I want to told about the possum.”
“What about the possum?” I asked in astonishment.
“That was a small hole in your floor, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, it was a very small hole.” I answered, not sure this conversation was going but definitely intrigued by it.
“Well that possum was able to come into house through that small hole, wasn’t he?”
“Y e a h,” I slowly answered.
“Just like that possum squeezing through such a small unguarded hole in the floor, the enemy can enter your heart through a small unguarded hole in your heart. Just as that intruding animal filled you with dread, the enemy can fill your heart with fears and worries. When he does that you do not fully trust me to care for you.”
Suddenly, I understood what He was telling me. We must always guard our hearts against the enemy that roams around who he cab devour. Satan doesn’t need a door with a flashing neon welcome sign, he enters through a hole he finds unguarded. Don’t make it easy for him to enter your heart. Fill your heart with joy and love and trust in your Heavenly Father who loves you unconditionally and will never leave you unprotected.
Oh, by the way—the hole in my floor has been fixed!
Today’s Whisper:
Have you ever left your heart unguarded? Did the enemy enter in and fill your heart with doubts and fears? Journal about the doubts and fears you had and write out a prayer confessing about them and ask God to come into that hole left by doubt. Just as the enemy can enter our heart God can close that hole with His peace and joy.
Today’s Prayer:
Loving Father, help me to be ever vigilant to guard my heart against the enemy’s attacks. Only you can fill my heart with the peace and joy I crave. Make me ever mindful of your love and care for me. I surrender my heart and soul to you. I know you will never leave me or forsake me. I covet your presence in my life today and forever. Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment