Toilet Water Went Everywhere

This morning, I was spending some time in my office annex (the half bath at the top of my basement stairs). I won't go into any details here, but apparently, I flushed the toilet too hard. The chain inside the toilet broke. I lifted the lid off the back of the toilet with the confidence of a seasoned veteran handyman. Those of you who know me well, know that I am no handyman. It once took me an entire weekend to install a ceiling fan. I almost electrocuted myself 3 times and on Sunday afternoon, I had to call in reinforcements to finish the job. Back to the task at hand. I stuck my hands into the toilet water and tried to fish out the broken chain. In the process, my elbow dislodged a small hose that was refilling the toilet water. The hose suddenly stood up like a King Cobra and start shooting its venom all over the bathroom. Within seconds, my catlike reflexes grabbed that squiggling snake by his neck and stuck him back in his hole. But it was too late; toilet water went everywhere. It was all over the walls, the floor and me. Once I wiped down the walls and floor, I went back to work in my new sweet basement office (pictures to come).

Even though I had toilet water all over me, I did not want to change clothes because I had on my favorite pair of blue jeans. They were feeling very comfortable because this was my third time this week to wear them. As I was working, I starting thinking that maybe the toilet water was beginning to smell. So, like most guys would, I put on a second coat of deodorant thinking that this would solve the problem. It didn't. Long story short, I ended up taking another shower and putting on a fresh set of clothes.

Well, I got to thinking that the toilet water is a lot like SIN.

#1 Sin is always messy and stinks. Whenever we sin, it makes us unclean and feel guilty. And many times we try and justify our sin and make excuses. I tried to convince myself that the toilet water had to be clean water coming out of the cobra hose since it was refilling the toilet. But you know what? It still smelt like toilet water to me. Or at least I thought it did. And I felt unclean until I took a shower.

#2 Sin splatters. Whenever we sin, not only does it get all over us, but it gets all over the people around us. Just as the toilet water splattered all over the bathroom, our sin splatters all our friends and family...colateral damage.

#3 Whenever we sin, no matter what we attempt to do to cover it up (I.e. apply deodorant), we are not clean until we get in the shower. Spiritually speaking, we need to get in the shower of God's incredible grace and forgiveness. We cannot clean ourselves. We need God to make us clean, holy and pure. God promises that if we confess our sins, he will cleanse us of ALL our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. He also tells us that through his forgiveness He will wash us as white as snow. (Speaking of snow, the kids had a blast tonight playing in the Georgia Blizzard and are praying for school to be cancelled tomorrow.)

So here's the deal...next time you get toilet water all over you (a.k.a next time you sin), go to God, confess your sin, and allow him to wash you as white as snow. There is no reason for a Christian to live in guilt and be immobilized from ministry, when the forgiveness of God is only a prayer/confession away.

By the way, Jennifer fixed the toilet chain tonight with a safety pin. She truly is a Porverbs 31 Woman.