October 3 - “On Electricians and Plumbers and Pastors”

 Everything about today was different, yet oddly the same.  We still went to the house.  We still slowly moved our stuff to the front yard to be dutifully inspected and recorded by Chris before being consigned to the ever-growing trash heap in front of the house, or to the just-maybe-few-who-might-make-the-cut in the back yard.  My boots were feeling just as heavy as ever.  The end was still “somewhere “out there.”  Everything still stunk – or stank or however you spell it.  We still ate the Styrofoam meals from the Aid group set up around the corner or from the occasional Red Cross truck that rumbled through the neighborhood.

 Still the same.  But different, too.  A crew from South Oaks Baptist Church in Arlington was with us.  So amid the sounds of our grunts and groans and scraping across the grass, were also new sounds – of chain saws and “Over-here’s” and “What-can-I-do?’s”  And laughter.  Oh, yeah.  Laughter.  Without the underlying sarcasm we had grown accustomed to.  Just laughter.  It was … refreshing, to say the least.

 And while we tackled the house and they tackled the trees, another of their crews went to the church building to do some electrical work.  They ran lines for a washer-dryer connection.  They installed on-demand water heaters.  And they dropped off materials for a future outdoor shower.

 All that electrical stuff is beyond me.  I know they started at the breaker box, ran some wires from there, and screwed some things to the wall.  It’s all there.  It’s all ready.  The power is chomping at the bit to explode forth and church a washer or spin some clothes dry and heat up water.  But it won’t work yet.  It won’t work until a plumber comes in and does whatever it is to hook up the water source.  It’s the same idea there.  The water is there (It’s kind of a murky, sandy, tan color right now, but it is there).  But someone has to lay the groundwork to make it possible to access it.

 Hmm.  I guess that’s what Christians are here for.  To lay the groundwork that makes it easier for people to access the person and power of God.  We’re spiritual plumbers and electricians.  Now that makes me feel better about myself than I have in a long time.  Ephesians 4:11-12 says, “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”

 But it’s not enough just to run wires and connect pipes.  Eventually someone will have to flip the breaker.  Turn on the switch.  Twist the faucet handle.  And spiritually, eventually, someone – someone other than the “Electrician-pastor” – someone like you – has to choose to tie in to the always-available power of God.  Check out Romans 1:16: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”

 Father, thanks for being the power.  We are amazed that you give us access to it – to you.  Amen.