How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden
faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me.
If you’re looking for peace, you might want to think twice about buying a
rental property. I purchased a lovely (or so I thought) piece of real estate
a few years ago. I was certain it would be a good investment. But there was
one problem—my beautifully decorated, upscale condo smelled. The odor
would come and go, and it was hard to pin down exactly where the smell was
coming from. I hired plumbers to check out P-traps and toilet seals, furnace
repair technicians to look for dead animals or improperly installed equipment.
At one point, I was certain I had fixed the problem only to discover
that the smell had returned full force. No amount of household deodorizer
could cover it.
Everything visible had been checked. So the problem, I reasoned, must
be lurking behind walls or beneath the floor. My youngest daughter suggested
with a hint of a smile that perhaps a bad fairy was hiding somewhere,
cutting wind. Hmmm . . . I hadn’t thought of that.
Finally a plumber sent smoke bombs through the pipes and, lo and
behold, smoke started billowing from the walls of the closet in the utility
room. When the closet was ripped out, the plumber found the culprit—a
pipe that had been improperly installed. Amazingly, it had escaped the notice
of the builder and the city inspectors who signed off on the new construction.
For four years it lay hidden behind the walls, spreading a noxious smell
through the vents.
What’s the point of this smelly story? Simply that hidden problems can
steal our peace. When we allow sin and weakness to lurk in our hearts, they
will sooner or later make their presence known. It’s far better to deal with
them openly and honestly. Otherwise, the Lord may need to lob a few smoke
bombs our way in order to reveal the source of the problem so we can finally
face it with his grace.
Father, you see through to the heart of every person. I ask you to reveal any
hidden sins or weaknesses in my life. Help me to face these honestly and with
hope, confident that you will stand by me and help me to change.
