Deep Trouble under the House
(by Eddie)
***
I was installing all new water and sewer pipes in and under an old house in Florida. This house sat about 16 inches above ground, so there wasn’t much room to move, and the sand under the house was dry, deep and powdery. And for several hours I had been working under the house from one end to the other sliding in the deep sand. I had worked well past my lunchtime trying to accomplish my goal for the morning.
When I finally came out from under house I was extremely hungry and exhausted, but when I got into my car to go home for lunch I couldn’t find my keys. I remembered that I had them in my pocket when I started, so I knew my keys must be someplace under the house and probably buried in the sand. Even though I felt too exhausted to do so, I knew I had to go back under the house and search. It was going to be like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack.
I slid on my belly in the crawl space under the house from one end of the house to the other, but without success. As I turned around at the far end of the house and started back, I began sifting the sand through my fingers. I continued doing this until I was about halfway back without success. I was so exhausted, and I felt the search was useless. From a human standpoint it was. The keys could be anywhere under the house because I had crawled all around from one end to the other as I worked.
I have often found that man’s hopelessness is God’s opportunity. I should have remembered sooner to call on God for help. I guess I was so intent on my need. I was so busy searching that I didn’t even think about asking for help from the only One who knew where they were. Has this ever happened in your life? I’m sure God’s angels often wonder why we are so slow to ask for help in time of need.
Well, right there midway under the house I simply closed my eyes, bowed my heart and prayed a silent prayer. “Lord, you know how desperately I need those keys. You know exactly where they are and so this of course is no big deal for you. Please help me find the keys. Thank you, Lord. Amen. I opened my eyes and began sifting the sand through my fingers once more.
What a great and good God we have-and such a caring God! There was no indication of the presence of the keys until I sifted that first handful of sand through my fingers. And there they were. I didn’t question whether God placed the keys there while I prayed, or whether He directed me to that exact spot before I stopped and asked for help. I just knew that He knew where they were. I offered a prayer of thanksgiving and went singing happily on my way.
If you doubt God’s ability and willingness to answer your prayers, you don’t really know our great Creator God. The God I serve says “Taste and see that I’m good”. If you have not already done so, won’t you choose Him as your God? He is absolutely trustworthy. You can trust Him. Read and study His Word, the Bible. There you will find more reasons to call on Him and to trust Him.
"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him". Psalms 34:8
