Weekly Devo: A River Runs Through It

Whenever it rains (and I believe there is a connection here), a puddle gathers near the pool table in our basement and forms a stream that happily meanders under the treadmill, past the game table and toward the refrigerator. I was hoping to see the salmon run this fall, but I’m told we don’t live in the right geographic area for that.

We just spent a boat load of money remodeling the basement and we’re really pleased with the results. Because we suspected a moisture problem we opted to stain the concrete floor to avoid sloshing through wet carpet if the leak reoccurred. The refinished concrete floor looks just like old leather, especially when a river runs through it. I’ve tried to convince Marilyn we can live with a little moisture—some people pay a lot of money for an indoor water feature! When I suggested we think of the 30-gallon Shop-Vac as an eclectic designer statement, she just rolled her eyes. Geez… just can’t please em’.

I’ve tried every quick-fix I could think of…

• I’ve dug up the shrubbery and patched together old drainage pipes.
• I’ve attempted to glob tarry goop on the inside wall.
• I even hired a guy to “pump up” the sunken portion of the patio in hopes that the water would kindly go anywhere but our game room,

…all to no avail.

Finally I surrendered, threw in the shop-vac and called on a wet basement expert. When the Basement Doctor arrived, I smartly said, “Let’s go to the basement, that’s where the problem is.” Seriously. I actually said that to the Basement Doctor!

He took a quick look at the Little-Scioto, looked up at me and said, “Well, what do you want to do? Do you really want to fix it? Or do you want to keep messing around with it?”

I’ve known all along what it would take to fix my leaking basement. I knew it would require a back hoe to dig down to the foundation around the entire perimeter of the house. I knew our beautiful brick patio would have to be torn up. I knew the exterior walls of the basement had to be exposed to daylight, waterproofed and a new drainage system installed that would carry the water away. But I just didn’t want to hear what I knew was the right thing to do.

“I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.” Romans 7:18b-19 NLT

I’m embarrassed to think how many times I’ve done the same thing spiritually when my old nature floods over into my remodeled life. I know the solution but I just don’t want to take the difficult step necessary get to the heart of the problem. Repentance! I know I should just drop my guard, stop trying to find “an easy way out” and surrender to the Lord. Can you relate? I’ll bet you do—you have the same reoccurring sins, you know the right thing to do but you just don’t want to do it.

Lord, you’ve made me smarter than this. Help me move the intellect in my head down to the will of my heart, and out through the work of my hands. Thank you that Your Son always did the right thing, even when it was the hard thing. Please give me the strength to follow His example. Amen.

 

Read Romans 7:15 through Romans 8:8

1. This passage is a tricky tongue-twister! Visit www.blueletterbible.com to read it in the New Living Translation or The Message for a better understanding.
2. Have you ever put off doing the “right” thing in favor of the “easy” thing (verse 15)? Why do you think you do that (verse 17 and 20)?
3. Do you ever get frustrated with yourself (verse 24), and dramatically cry in King James fashion, “O wretched man that I am!”?
4. What an inconvenient time for a chapter break! Romans 7 leave us enslaved to sin (verse 24). What particular disobediences are causing you the most pain?
5. Romans 8 offers hope in Christ Jesus. What specific steps are suggested in verses 5 and 6 if we want a life of peace?

 

Read 2 Timothy 2:24-26

1. Perhaps you’ve been in the awkward position of watching someone struggle with doing the right thing. There are four players in such a scenario according to verses 25 and 26. Can you identify them?
2. According to verse 25, what is the believer to do? What does God do?
3. In verse 26, what does the unbeliever do? And what does the devil do?
4. Have you ever tried to assume God’s role and bring someone to repentance? Or have you ever tried to change someone’s mind for them? What do verse 24 and the beginning of verse 25 suggest should be our approach instead?

 

Read Acts 3:19

1. How is repentance defined in this verse?
2. What happens to our sins when we repent?
3. I feared calling the Basement Doctor because I knew it would cost me. What do we fear repentance will cost us?
4. This verse promises “times of refreshing” when we repent. How does that outweigh our fears?

 

Read Psalm 51

1. King David wrote this Psalm of repentance after he was caught in a terrible sin. Read the story in 2 Samuel 12:1-14.
2. We’re tempted to think we’re only hurting ourselves when we don’t do the right thing, but others suffer. Who else was affected by David’s sin (2 Samuel 12:14)? Can you think of others who have been hurt because of your lack of repentance?
3. When trying to right a wrong we have done, what does Psalm 51:17 say we should offer to God? What would that look like on a person?