Watch for Cracks

Today’s blog post is contributed by David Trotta:

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)

My wife and I are trying to sell my mother in-law’s house.  As part of the process we had to clear out all the appliances and old cupboards in the basement, some of which have not been moved in decades.

  After clearing out one corner of the basement, we noticed very large cracks in the wall and some cement blocks that had shifted.  It was significant enough to be concerned the foundation of the house may have compromised.

After surveying the inside and outside of the house and getting some expert opinions it was determined that roots from a very old, large tree in the front corner of the house had put pressure on the wall causing the damage.

We are now faced with a pretty hefty bill to remove the tree and repair the basement wall.

The issue would have been caught much earlier and the damage much less if the basement wall was not covered up all those years.

As I thought about the work that needed to be done, I was reminded of the damage unexposed sin can do in our lives, especially if it goes undetected for long periods of time.  It can put our very spiritual foundation in jeopardy.

I think that’s why King David prayed the way he did in the above verse.  He gave God permission to search his heart and expose anything that could damage their relationship.  He loved God more than anything and desired that nothing come between them.

We need to do the same.  We need to give God permission to search every corner of our heart and identify any hidden sin that could, if left unchecked, cause damage to our relationship.

And if God reveals anything, promptly ask Him to remove the roots and restore any cracks in your foundation.