Saturday, July 3, 2010

Sin and Death as Illustrated by a Flying Roach

by Rachel

The other night I went into the bathroom to get ready for bed. I opened the shower curtain and immediately saw some kind of large insect on the shower wall, furiously flapping brown wings. I thought it might be a huge moth. At any rate I let out an ear-piercing scream and bolted out, nearly jamming a finger in the process as I banged it against the sink counter. Ben came in and after I told him what I had seen, he began searching the bathroom and finally found the unwelcome visitor - a big roach. Texas-style, large flying cockroach.

The roach proceeded to crawl out of the bathroom and head straight for my closet, to my horror. I knew that if we lost it in my closet, there was no way I was going into my closet for the next few days, and I was going to have to beg my sweet husband to get my clothes out for me. Thankfully, Ben chased the roach as it went in and started throwing a bunch of my clothes out as he followed it. After a couple of requests for tools to assist him in his mission and a couple of misses, he got the roach under one of my slippers (which will be washed thoroughly) and pounded his fist on the slipper until the roach was, let's say, no longer a threat. He flushed it down the toilet, and finally I could breathe again. The rest of the night all I wanted to do was hug him, tell him I loved him and thank him for saving me from that awful creature.

I guess the Holy Spirit got me thinking - I was overflowing with love and gratitude to my husband, even thanking him for "saving" me. Why do I rarely do that with God? Have I EVER done that with God? I realized that maybe I have never seen my sin and the penalty of it with as much fear, horror and desperation as I saw with that roach. What a weird thought, but it felt so relevant. I felt more horrified and in need of a savior at the thought of a flying cockroach coming at me or hiding in my clothes than I usually do at the thought of my disobedience to God and utter failure to measure up to His holiness and righteousness.

Thank You, Lord, for reminding me of Your gospel of grace in these little experiences. Thank You for providing for my ultimate need for a savior even though I often don't even realize my need. Thank You that it's only by Your grace that I am saved, and not by anything I do.

NOTE: Please do not let this story deter you from ever visiting our home! This is not a common occurrence. Besides, whose house NEVER has any kind of random vermin show up every once in a while? This is reality, people. :)

1 comment:

buddyboy said...

Great point! Also, what a manly man Ben Pun is! If only he did it with his bare hands...