Broken Water Pipes

My husband is out repairing a water main at the moment.  He left at ten o'clock last evening and is still working.  He always prepares me for how long he will be gone, because he knows I will not sleep well unless I have the information.  He said they would be all night and he was right.  Translation: I am going to come home exhausted, sore from head to foot, will want to sleep but most likely will be too tired at first, will be hungry but unable to eat a lot and will probably develop charlie horses as my muscles try to go back in place after being stretched out all night. He never complains though.  He looks at repairing water mains as a means of service and is happy to be able to do so. 

The first thing that has to be accomplished to repair a main is to valve down the water flow in the pipe that is broken.  This particular pipe may feed many homes or only a few, but it must be repaired or dirt and germ carrying bacteria can get into the lines.  After this they must wait.  All the other utilities must come out and mark the area for any possible cables, sewer lines, etc in the area so they know just how careful they must be.  Hit an active power line and you could be dead.  Hit a phone line and you owe, owe, owe.  Hit a sewer line and you can imagine the implications.  So patience is a necessary commodity when those things are close by or sometimes on top of the main.

If a main is buried deep from years of erosion, road build up, etc, you must be cautious about cave ins of the wall.  This has actually happened while he was in the hole, but God has always protected him. 

If the break in the main is under a driveway, road or highway there is jack-hammering involved.  I could go on, but suffice it to say, he comes home exhausted for very good reason.

You would think that people would see them working and be compassionate and happy they are there.  Many are.  In fact some bring them water in summer and coffee in winter. But there are some who look at them as an invasion.  They become angry that their yard is being dug in, driveway torn up, (even thought the water company always repairs these things) life interrupted by no water and if they are getting ready for work, look out!!  They come out angry and want to know how much longer it is going to take.  If they don't get the answer they want, they feel the need to go into an explanation as to why they need water now.  I wonder if they think it could be turned on just for them for a moment and then back off again. 

This sounds all too familiar to me.  How many times in my life have I gone to God in anger and frustration regarding a situation rather than joy that He is in control?  I am being convinced (spiritually I am convinced, but my flesh still struggles) that when things seem unfair to me it is God repairing a problem in my life, the life of a family member or friend or some other situation that is out of my range of vision for the time being.

This morning I was reading the last two chapters of the book of Ruth.  Boaz is asked to redeem Naomi's property and family, because he is such a close relative.  There is one closer relative he must go through first.  This relative would do so, but he doesn't want the responsibility of marrying the daughter-in-law Ruth.  If he does so, any children she has will take part of his current childrens' inheritance and it will then belong to Naomi's family line.  He takes off his sandal and gives it to Boaz.  Each time I have read this I have been intrigued by this action.  Why in the world did he give him his sandal? 

When God took Abraham out of Ur to the land of promise, He told him that wherever his foot trod would be his and his descendants.  When Moses was standing before the burning bush, God told him to remove his sandals, because the ground was holy.  Perhaps (and this is just a thought) this is because we cannot own God.  He owns us.  When the relative gave Boaz his sandal, perhaps it was a means of saying, "I have not walked this way and do not wish to.  You do it for me and all shall be yours."

When we have not walked in another persons shoes and have no desire to, we need to simply "take off our shoes" and concede the fact rather than jump on them for not doing things our way.  Those who become angry with the water company workers do not understand what is involved, nor do they understand that their personal safety is involved.  If the water supply becomes contaminated, what good is it?  Just as they need to admit they have no clue as to what is necessary, we need to admit to God that we have never and will never be in His shoes (so to speak) so do not understand why he does what he does.  We need to remember that He sees the entire picture and trust Him to make it turn out more beautiful than we can envision.

"The future will fully vindicate God's righteous integrity and the wisdom of His plan." (Randy Alcorn)

My heart desire is for each of us to understand this fully and that we all stand in awe together at the time of His return, rejoicing in the King and His great love for each of us.  Come Lord Jesus!