I didn’t see the sign!
Recently, our 9-year-old dishwasher was struggling and after three attempted repairs I gave up and purchased a new one. I chose to install it myself because I had already taken apart the old one so many times, I figured it would be easy. The delivery guys dropped it off, took away the old one, and I set to work.
The first thing I did was remove the foam packaging that had been put on it to prevent them from bashing up my house on the way in. The first couple of bits came off pretty easily, but then the next few pieces appeared to be glued on. Not to be deterred I began ripping it off and threw it in the corner with the rest.
As I got to the point of hooking up the dishwasher to the water hose, I discovered I needed an elbow joint and headed to Home Depot. As I was driving home, I had this sudden thought… what if that foam packaging wasn’t meant to be taken off? I had purchased a very quiet dishwasher, and although my old dishwasher didn’t have any foam around it, it was louder than that diesel truck that drives past our house every morning at 6am.
So, when I got home to went over to the pile of foam packaging, and started examining it. What I found filled me with a sinking feeling in my gut. On the very first piece of foam I ripped off was a giant sticker saying: “Do not remove! Necessary insulation for sound reduction.”
Thankfully I managed to piece the thing back together using an online video to match the foam pieces to their original places and hot glue to stick back down the bits I had unglued. And my dishwasher is much quieter than my old one, though I will never know if it’s as quiet as it’s supposed to be!
As Christians we believe in a God who is speaking, and very often I find myself ignoring the obvious ways in which he does that. I’m so busy with doing things the way I think they should be done that I miss the places God is speaking to me and trying to direct me towards a better way of living.
That’s one of the primary reasons we gather every week to listen to the Bible being preached. It’s the reason I read the Bible every day. The Bible is God’s Word, not only to the people living thousands of years ago, but to us today.
This Sunday we are going to hear what the Bible says about how to beat adversity. We all face challenges in our lives, and God has provided us with the wisdom and tools we need to overcome them.
I’d love to have you join us in-person or online this Sunday at 8:30, 10:00 or 11:30, and invite someone you know who might benefit from a message of hope as they face adversity in their life.
Pastor Ellis
PS — On Sunday, May 23, at 3:00 pm, we will celebrate the ordination of our next Chapel Hill pastor: Gunnar Tesdahl! Join us in the Sanctuary or online (reception to follow in the Gathering Place). This will be a wonderful opportunity to lift up what God is doing in Gunnar’s life and in the life of Chapel Hill. So save the date; I hope you’ll join us!
Photo by Sidekix Media on Unsplash