Gutters

Gutters are funny looking things aren’t they?  Really don’t even take any notice of them do we?  In fact, I didn’t even think our home needed them.  The home inspector, looking over our first home, thought otherwise.  Gutters keep water away from the foundation of your home, he told me.  And that’s important?  Came the question from an inexperienced homeowner. 

Very.

So I took an interest in gutters as men scrambled on the roof of our home installing these bent pieces of metal.  The next rain storm had me to the window watching our investment work as water poured out onto the lawn……away from the foundation.

Gutters are made to catch the rain but that’s not all.  If they are installed correctly, gutters are also made to move that water towards a downspout.  Catch and share.  Catch and share.  Movement.  Should it just catch and the water pool and become stagnant then you have a whole different problem.  No it must move the water along. 

Catch and share.

You and I are precious ‘gutters’ to Him.  Bet that’s a first.  You’ve been called a lot of things along the way but a gutter is not one of them. 

The Lord has designed us to catch Him but also to share Him.  Too often too many of us go to our churches and Bible studies and ‘catch Him’ but then never share Him.

 The ‘water’ pools inside us and then grows stagnant.  Your inner life will eventually wither and grow moldy should you hoard and never share.  The Lord gives and gives to abundance so that we are spilling over. He gives, not only to bless ourselves, but then to turn and give freely what has been so lavishly given to us.  Catch and share

Brian

Watched

When Emma and I are out in public I do my best to know where she is at all times.  In fact, at no other time am I as vigilant as when I am looking and listening for her in a store.  At best is when she is beside me and I can touch her.  But that is not always possible so I watch and listen with eagle eyes and cat’s ears.  The more busy the area, the more vigilant.  She is the world to me and she is unable to watch herself; unable to see the dangers, the missteps, the corners where she could disappear from her fathers view.  And frankly, that is ok with me.  Yes her mother and I work with her on never leaving without us and looking both ways before stepping into a street; but she is incapable of caring for herself at this age and that is where we come in.  I want her to live in the present and not be burdened with worry (as her father is!).  I will care for her and watch over her.  “You play my love.  You live in the moment.  You breathe deeply today.  You laugh and jump into my arms from high places.  I will catch you.  I will watch over you.  I hear your stirrings in the night, I can pick your voice out in a room full of screaming kids.  You are mine.”

You and I, as adults, are really no different than my four year old daughter.  Oh yes, that degree from the Ivy League school on our wall fools us into thinking that we are quite capable of living on our own.  Our salary and position trick us into believing that we will make it in this world on our own hard work and intelligence.  But you know what?  The Lord laughs at that.

No, sorry, we are still as lost as my four year old in a crowded store.  We are still unaware of what lies in tomorrow.  Despite our plans and schedules, still we get into our cars and launch off into a chaotic pace of traffic or board that airplane or eat that food prepared by some distracted teenager in a hurry to get home to play Halo 3.

We are still in desperate need of a loving Father to watch over us.  Should you choose Christ you are no longer wandering this world, lost and alone.  You are now adopted into the family of the Creator of the universe.  You are His.  Forever. 

Never are we outside of His view. 

“I lay down and slept.  I woke in safety, for the Lord was watching over me.”  Ps. 3: 5

We are incapable of living this life without Him.  We are incapable of seeing into tomorrow.  So, we live today and let Him deal with tomorrow.

What does He want?  He wants us to laugh today.  Live today.  Jump, in faith, off high places into His arms.  We are His. 

“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.  I have called you by name; you are Mine.”  Isa. 43:1 

Brian

Hiking with God

Michelle and I were hiking a trail outside of Los Angeles when a woman passed us with her dog.  She hiked on and commanded her dog to sit as she walked on.  The little dog sat, obediently, and watched his master walk away.  The woman hiked another hundred yards or so and went around a bend, out of sight.  The dog waited.  Even with his master out of sight this dog was obedient; ears and body taut, listening with every fiber in him to hear the next command.  Then, suddenly, from around the bend came his master’s voice:  “COME!”  That dog sprinted, throwing dirt behind him he ran so fast, to get to its master. 

What a picture of obedience.  There will be seasons in our life when Jesus will ask us to be obedient in an area that may not make a lot of sense at the time.  And then He will test us by seeming to walk around the bend, out of earshot.  Our prayers will go unanswered and we sit and wait with nothing more than His last command to us.  Time passes and we get antsy.

It is now, more than ever, we prove our love for Him.  Jesus says:  “If you love Me, than obey My commands.”

It is in these seasons that He watches to see if we will wait for Him or take it upon ourselves to move forward.  He watches to see if we will wait for His wisdom and His timing or move ahead in our own.

Friends it is in this time that we prove ourselves faithful. 

Waiting for our Master.  He will come and He has never left us. 

Brian