Houses and Holly Hock Ups!

I walked into this little bitty house and was disgusted immediately! The putrid smell of animal urine repelled me. The size of the house disappointed me. And, once again, I felt that life situations were dictating yet another one of those times when I was taking a step backward instead of forward. Another of those times when I had to "settle" and be happy about it. How many times had life hit me square in the face and pushed me down, held me back and repressed me? I couldn't begin to count the number of times. By now, I knew all the right responses . . . "don't look a gift horse in the mouth." "Be thankful for what you have, since that is much more than others." "Bloom where you're planted." Yes, I knew all of those . . . but it didn't matter. I was sad, and I cried out to God . . . I was angry and had no control over my situation.

Then, I did what I had done so many times before. I wiped my tears, rolled up my sleeves and set my mind to make the best of it. In that moment of resolve, God met me. I didn't realize it then, in fact, it would be a number of years before I realized how much that little "cracker box" house would mean to me.

My mother and I laughed more gut-wrenching giggles during those days of ripping up stinky carpet, being chased out of the house by bleach fumes, and hours of painting. My father and I bonded ever more so (as if that were possible) during those days of house repairs, post-hole digging and the sawing of boards for the car-port. Those times of laughing over weeds that I watered, the digging up of holly hocks (or as mom and I called it . . . digging holly hock-ups), pecan tree planting, big gardens and paths across the alley from my back door to theirs. In fact, memories of that house, and that time in my life are so sweet now, that I regret ever being so upset about having to "step-down" instead of step-up. It was a step up and I didn't realize it. I had always wanted to live around my parents, but my life had never been afforded that dream. How would I have known when I moved into that little house, that so many dreams would be fulfilled from that very spot? I wouldn't have, and that's exactly my point.

God never promised us a life without pain, or a life with out storms. God never says that we wouldn't face those dark days . . . instead, what God says is that when we face them . . . and we will, He will always be with us in the storm!

As I was reading this morning in Job, I was facinated to notice that both satan and God had their eye on Job. Satan was interested in testing his faith, and God was interested in turning Job's test into his testimony! But, between the test and the testimony there was much wresting with God and faith. Even Job's wife and friends flat out stood against Job and Job found himself alone with his struggle of faith. Finally, after being overwhelmed with the test, he began to spill forth with all the pent up frustration he had regarding God, and what appeared to Job as God's lack of intervention on his behalf. What I find interesting in this story, is that God never struck Job for speaking so forwardly in anguish toward Him. Instead, the example Job leaves me is this; when in the midst of the test, don't agree with the words of anyone when it goes against God and God's promises. Instead, keep stirring up your faith and when overcome with anguish, go to God with it, not anyone else!

Then Job PRAYED for those who betrayed him, and his faith. Job then goes the extra mile . . .listen to what it says in Job 42:10:

"And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold."

WOW! He prayed for those who had rejected him. He prayed for those who heaped condemnation on him! He prayed for those who threw salt into his wounds, so to speak. And God met him there. Scripture goes on to say in verse twelve "And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning..."

I realized that my testings are no different than Job's, God always has a plan for me, one with a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11) and the future is always better than the past. I lived in a nice, large house across town . . . then came the test . . . and I moved to a little "cracker box" house . . . ah, but it proved that God's future was indeed greater. I had precious time with my parents in a way I would not have otherwise experienced. I was able to decorate and furnish this home in way I would never have been able to in the other, since the other was a rental and this little home was owned by me (a my uncle holding the note). It was the first home I ever owned by myself (after divorce). It was from there I received my call into full time pastoral ministry, and that house and time in my life hold so many wonderful memories. The future was in fact SO much better than I expected! I went to God and cried out in anguish . . . and He met me there.