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Psalm 127:1
Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. |
This verse came to mind recently after working tirelessly all weekend trying to refinish the deck on my back porch. I had a few gallons of stain left over from the last time but knew it wouldn’t be enough. I went to the hardware store to buy more only to find out they no longer carried that brand. They had another brand that looked similar and even had the exact same color name. I asked the store worker if this different brand would match the old color. He told me it should, but just in case it wasn’t exact, I should mix both brands all together in a large bucket before applying it. This would ensure that it came out the same color. It sounded like good advice to me, so I decided to proceed with it.
Saturday morning I got up early, hoping to be finished with the deck project by lunchtime. I mixed the different stains and immediately noticed something didn't seem right. The stains may have had the same color name on the outside of the can, but inside they looked nothing alike. I almost stopped there when something inside told me I should, but I didn’t. “Nah," I thought to myself. “Surely the guy at the paint counter knew best. Surely it will look right when it dries.” I proceeded to apply the odd mixture to the whole deck only to find out, when it dried, it didn’t have the “honey gold” appearance on the label. It dried a hideous shade of mustard green.
I spent the next two and a half days stripping the ugly stain off the wood. Exhausted, I couldn't help but acknowledge the fact my deck actually looked better before I had even started. After nearly three solid days of work, there was the sobering reality all of it had been done in vain. I had literally wasted an entire weekend. I began to reflect on other areas of my life where I had invested my time, resources, and talents on things that were led by personal desire rather than God's direction. My lesson learned in all of this was that, when I listen to His voice and walk in His ways, He truly does multiply my days (Proverbs 9:11). Perhaps this is not only in the number of days that I have, but also what I am able to accomplish with the days I have been given.
Father,
Thank you for being so faithful! Thank you for teaching us, growing us, and allowing us to serve in the field of life. Help us to be fruitful, productive, and forever attentive to your Word, your direction, and your ways. In Jesus' mighty name we pray, amen!
Saturday morning I got up early, hoping to be finished with the deck project by lunchtime. I mixed the different stains and immediately noticed something didn't seem right. The stains may have had the same color name on the outside of the can, but inside they looked nothing alike. I almost stopped there when something inside told me I should, but I didn’t. “Nah," I thought to myself. “Surely the guy at the paint counter knew best. Surely it will look right when it dries.” I proceeded to apply the odd mixture to the whole deck only to find out, when it dried, it didn’t have the “honey gold” appearance on the label. It dried a hideous shade of mustard green.
I spent the next two and a half days stripping the ugly stain off the wood. Exhausted, I couldn't help but acknowledge the fact my deck actually looked better before I had even started. After nearly three solid days of work, there was the sobering reality all of it had been done in vain. I had literally wasted an entire weekend. I began to reflect on other areas of my life where I had invested my time, resources, and talents on things that were led by personal desire rather than God's direction. My lesson learned in all of this was that, when I listen to His voice and walk in His ways, He truly does multiply my days (Proverbs 9:11). Perhaps this is not only in the number of days that I have, but also what I am able to accomplish with the days I have been given.
Father,
Thank you for being so faithful! Thank you for teaching us, growing us, and allowing us to serve in the field of life. Help us to be fruitful, productive, and forever attentive to your Word, your direction, and your ways. In Jesus' mighty name we pray, amen!