Broken Line

A few days ago I had to work from home because my car was in the garage. Overly stressed from the car situation, I decided on this particular morning, to get up extra early to do the laundry. In my mind, I wanted to work off the stress and I was in no mood for the treadmill. I have a tendency to hand wash my more delicate clothing, though there is a washing machine. By about 8 am, I had three lines full of clothing in the backyard. The sun was already out and I felt accomplished.

I pushed up the last line stick and walked away. It was now time to get ready to log on and start working. Before I took two steps away, I heard a popping sound so I looked back. To my disbelief, the line with the hand-washed clothes broke and everything was on the ground! YIKES!!!!

I took a deep breath, (a very deep breath) took a pan, and started taking up the clothes from the ground. Of course, all of this would have to be washed again. This time it will be more work because I have to get the dirt out. Anyways, I was very thankful that I was there when the line broke. You see, there are three big dogs in the yard who would have a fun time destroying all my clothes had I not been there in the moment to pick them up off the ground. I left the pan with the clothes and went to log in to work. Later that afternoon when work was over, I went back outside and wash the clothes again.

I shared the experience with a co-worker who sent me a voice note that prompted this blog.

Dawn, you were there to protect the laundry from the dogs. Though they fell and were in the dirt, you were able to protect them from being destroyed by the dogs. You were able to pick them up and wash them over and they were good as new again. It says to me that in life we are constantly under the gaze of God. Constantly, a perpetual gaze that He has on us. So when we fall, or when we mess up, or when things happen to us that the onslaught of life would want to come and rip us to threads, God steps in, step up, and do all He can to ensure our protection and preservation. The difference between the laundry and us is that we have the knowledge, we are conscious of this. But at times we do not cash in on that access and it causes more pain, anxiety, and even more damage to ourselves. But if we become more conscious of that reality, that fact that God is watching over us, and that He is not cutting us off when we sin and throw away the lie that God doesn’t want to have anything to do with us with when we fall, even when we fail to access His presence, and the resources that He extends to us, He is there to ensure that the “dogs” of life do not thread us to pieces!

Be strengthened today. God will NEVER leave you nor forsake you. Psalm 139:8 tells us “If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.” The Lord is with you.

2 Chronicles 16:9 The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.