Sovereign over the Plumbing?

Yep, leave it to a Master's College student to think about life and theology when the plumbing goes out in his dorm. I was (and am) very annoyed at not being able to wash my hands or take a shower tomorrow, but life goes on and God is still good.

God is still good. Strange as it may seem, I think little inconveniences like this are important for us and can be a blessing. It is far too easy for us to get comfortable in the comforts, prosperity, and security of the modern world. Every once in a while, it's good to get a little slap on the hand reminding me that life really is fickle.

Seriously, everyone is so quick to talk about the frailty of life, but it seems we're rarely, if ever, prepared to confront this reality when life really does take a turn for the worse. It isn't only a number in the newspaper that gets their homes destroyed by a hurricane. It wasn't only Job who lost everything in a matter of days. God allows things like that to happen, and there's no telling when hard times are on the way.

I know that losing the plumbing for a day is bad at all. I can deal with it without having to earnestly seek God in prayer and humbly ask "why?" And I don't need a sermon,hymn, or bible verse to get through this emotionally. The point remains, though, what if it's the power next time? Or the internet? Or my financial aid?

I firmly believe that God is sovereign over the plumbing in Slight Hall. I know it happened for a reason, so perhaps we should try to get something out of it. Perhaps we should look to the grace of God to get us through this thing without any anger or impatience. Perhaps we should take comfort in the fact that even this minuscule trial has been custom tailored for each and every one of us by the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.

That's a pretty amazing thought. And if God can somehow make me more into the image of Christ by knocking out the plumbing for a few hours, may I praise Him all the more!