Clogged Pipes
I recently did something very new for me…I unclogged the pipes in our bathroom sink.
I’m blessed with a very handy husband, so I rarely have to do these kinds of jobs around the house. But in this instance, he was not going to be able to attend to the plugged sink and to be honest, I was tired of brushing my teeth in the bathtub.
So, I geared myself up for the big event.
- Channel locks.
- Pan to catch whatever I’d find inside the pipes.
- Towels.
- And a handkerchief covering my mouth and nose.
No, I really did not want to breathe whatever was stuck inside those bathroom pipes. I was pleasantly surprised to discover how easy it was to loosen the pipe connectors. (Notice my lack of plumbing vocabulary!) In minutes, both of the culprits (the two elbows) were ready for disconnection.
And in an instant, the reason for the clog appeared. Hairy, thick, greenish-black sludge oozed from all ends of the pipes. A stank, putrid odor filled the bathroom and filtered out into the hallway. I worked my best to avoid touching the “stuff”, but when I had to pick up a few stray pieces with some toilet paper, I could feel it squish between my fingers. Yuck. Yes, Yuck. Not sure if that is part of plumbing vocabulary.
I scurried to dispose of the junky gunk. I cleaned the catch basin, using a fresh smelling cleaning solution, and I re-secured the two elbows. A quick test of the faucet revealed no leaks. The job was done. The clogs were gone. Our bathroom sink was fully functional again.
It was interesting to think about how this clog had formed. It wasn’t overnight, but the build-up settled little by little until one day there was no way of avoiding the fact that our sink had a major drainage problem. That got me thinking about sin.
If you parallel your life to my sink experience, where do you rate? Is everything clear and fluidly moving through your life or have you allowed sin to create some clogs? Just like the sludge in my sink pipes, sin is stinky, dirty, rotten, and at times can silently build, little by little. We let it build. It’s not really hurting us that much, or so it seems. But then one day, the reality of what sin has done to our lives is unavoidable.
But here’s the great news. As quickly as I was able to clean out the clogged pipes, getting freed from that sin can happen even faster. And the neat thing about forgiveness is, no matter how clogged your “pipes” are with sin, it can all be wiped away in an instant; the moment you truly look to Jesus Christ, to forgive you and wash you clean.
At my home, we are quite happy to be able to use our sink again now that my unclogging job is done. But our happiness is nothing compared to the incredible feeling that comes from spiritual cleansing. And never think you’ve “done too much” or “it’s too late.” Remember, it was in the final hours of life, when the criminal crucified next to Jesus said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:42-43
Do you have questions about eternity or want some assurance that God truly forgives you? Call us at (419) 339-4444 or email me: jbeck@wtlw.com.
