It’s been a plumber’s paradise at my house these past two weeks. We have extremely hard water and our third water heater–in 18 years–was on it’s last leg. Rather than have another one fill up with mineral deposits (sixty second shower, anyone?), we decided to invest in a water softener.
Two guys came and installed a new water heater and softener at the same time. It was an all day job, but once the system came online the results were almost immediate. Oh, the soap suds!🧼 And no more crusty faucets or spotty dishes.
But, a week later, we made a frightful discovery. The carpet in the back hallway, near where they tapped in to the main water line, was soaking wet. Two closet clean outs later, I removed an access panel and found the problem. One of the fittings the plumbers installed was leaking at a steady drip, drip.
People who tell you it’s hard to get a plumber on the weekend are NOT joking. I called at 7 am and he showed up at 7 pm. Yes, 12 hours later.😬 It turned out to be a relatively easy fix, but the damage was already done.
It’s amazing how our little plumbing problem resembles life in general. A steady drip starts, from a hidden location, and soon everything is soaked. By the time we realize what’s going on, the damage is done.
The parallel between unseen water leaks and unconfessed sin is a good one.
Also keep back your servant from presumptuous sins, let them not rule over me.
Psalm 19:13 (NASB)
Like me, do you sometimes assume that all is well–between you and God–without actually checking in?
Kind reader, when life springs a leak, there’s a “Heavenly Plumber” available 24/7. And He won’t take half a day to show up.
🙏❤️ prayers and love.
First photo by Anu0131l Karakaya on Pexels.com
Davids Daily Dose 
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43 responses to “Not So Good to the Last Drop”
Thank you for the reblog. God Bless.
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Thank you for your insights, Nancy. Even a house built on rock is vulnerable from leaks within. Blessings!
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I actually sighed an “Oh, no!” when I read “Two closet clean-outs later.” SO frustrating–especially since the problem wasn’t your fault. Thankfully you discovered the leak before structural damage to your house occurred. And you are so right: sin can do structural damage to our house on the Rock (Matthew 7:24-27)–if we’re not attentive.
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I can absolutely identify with your thoughts about God changing a disaster into a testimony, Beth. We intended to take up the old carpet in the back of the house anyway. The leak just moves up the time line. Thankfully, no drywall was damaged. Thank you for reading and commenting. 🐾 🐾 to Adi and Summer.
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A great post David. There was a time in my life when a leak sprung, only in my foolish self reliance I didn’t call the “Heavenly Plumber,” I tried to fix it myself and failed miserably. The Good News is that when I finally saw the disastrous results of my self reliance, I found that Jesus had been waiting patiently for my phone call. It’s amazing how a humble prayer of repentance and surrendering to Jesus can change a disaster into a testimony. On an earthly note, I hope that you are able to quickly remediate the damage done to carpet, boards, drywall etc.
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It’s the same with me, Joseph. The Holy Spirit doesn’t let the leak go on for too long. You’re right, sometimes the mess is bigger than we can clean up on our own. Thank you for your input. Blessings!
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Oh believe me, if there is not something right between us Poppa lets me know and what must be done to correct the situation. Sometimes it cannot be done on my own strength which is why I am grateful for The Holy Spirits help
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Things happen. We planned to replace that old carpet anyway. I’m glad we found the leak before it got even worse.
Thank you for sharing, Bridget. Your comments are always thoughtful and encouraging. God’s best to you. 🙏
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Yikes! So sorry about the leak! But I appreciate the analogy you used here. A small drip might seem harmless at first. But in the end, drip after drip, it adds up. I especially love that our heavenly “Plumber” doesn’t take half a day to show up! He is always there for us.
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Thank you for reading and commenting, Emily. Blessings!
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🥰🥰🥰 enjoyed reading this
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You and me both, brother! Thank you for stopping by—especially at almost 2 am (your time). I enjoyed your repost by the Berry Bunch. I am praying for them. Blessings!
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This is a great spiritual analogy David, oh how often I have ignored the wee spiritual drip, only to be drenched later…,wishing I had listened to the drip first time! Thank you for this valuable reminder. May our Father God guide and bless you today brother.
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Thank you, Mandy. God Bless!
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So life applicable!!!!
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Thank you, Manette. Many of our life experiences can be life lessons for others. I am grateful for your encouragement!
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I sometimes wonder if we are allowed such experiences that are not only life lessons for ourselves but provide inspiration for a devotional “parable” that speaks to many other readers. As an apprentice of the Almighty we may be “on a service call” for a lost soul, brother, or sister we don’t even know.
May the Lord Jehovah bless you as you continue to magnify the Lord through your life experiences.
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Right! We found things in those closets we forgot we even had, Barb.
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Yes, those tiny leaks (bad decisions, questionable friendships & guilty pleasures) can cause huge issues in our spiritual lives.
Sorry for the soggy carpet. But at least your closets are clean & organized now.
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Ah…the fact that it was an apprentice does make the analogy and the post-post analogy perfect!
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You are correct, Betty. The plumber’s apprentice improperly installed one of the fittings, which is what led to the leak. The licensed plumber (his boss) made the repair. I suppose no analogy is perfect, especially when comparing earthy and heavenly things. Another thought is that we are God’s “plumbing apprentices” who must be extra careful when doing installs for Him. You always encourage me to dig deeper, Betty. Thanks!
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Thank you, David! Though I keep thinking that plumber left the fittings loose and caused the leak! God wouldn’t do that! Or like you said, God wouldn’t have us wait 12 hours to arrive! But otherwise your analogy is heavenly! 🙂
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Our trials can make for good times and bonding experiences. That’s a good point, Aimee. Thank you!
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Oh no! Sorry to hear about this problem, but a great analogy. A few years ago our water heater busted and flooded the house. Good times and bonding experiences with my dad. 🙂
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Thank you for the encouragement, Betty! A couple of weeks back, when this whole thing started, you suggested I write a post about how God is like a plumber. Well, here you go!
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Small problems, if left unchecked, almost always turn into bigger issues. This is true with so many things in life. Your analogy of daily life to our spiritual life is captivating. You draw in the reader, give it a twist, and turn it into an inspiration. You could gather these posts into a book – with a clever title. 🙂 Thanks for your post, and enjoy your Saturday!
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Checking the connections to every day is a good idea, Gary. I endeavor to do the same thing myself. Thank you for your input. Blessings!
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Great analogy David. Spiritually speaking I have always sprung leaks and dripped. It does damage to those close to me. I try to make sure my connections are tight every day, every morning.
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Thank you, Chris. Blind spots are the bane of our existence. Well, maybe not. Short-comings and sins that are “under the rug” are prime opportunities for renewal. Thank you for checking in—on your weekend, no less. God Bless.
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Great analogy. Thanks for the reminder to check in and re-examine the hidden places of my heart.
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Thanks, CG. All I could do was turn the water off and wait…. Yes, the salt routine is familiar—my parents used to have a water softener. It’s just nice to have better water and no more leak! Thank you for stopping by today. I am grateful for your thoughts. God Bless.
PS. Your thought about waiting on the Lord could be another post in itself!
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Thank you. Yes. Nothing else breaking in the house, at least for awhile, would be nice. A water leak detector (with alarm) just arrived yesterday from Amazon. It is sitting directly underneath where all the trouble started. I appreciate your reading and commenting!
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We decided it was worth the investment, though the price of everything has gone up substantially in the past 18 months. Our water contains mostly dissolved calcium and magnesium, or gypsum, as they a call it around here. It’s amazing the parallels there are between the occurrences of everyday life and walking with God. Maybe that’s why Jesus told so many parables. I appreciate your sharing. Blessings!
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Another good one, David. I always like how you translate life experiences into a reflection on our walk with God. I’ve learned not to try to fix plumbing leaks on my own, to rely on the professionals. (I think there’s an analogy there about waiting on the Lord 😉)
Oh the trials of hard water. We lived with it for years. We now have city water after moving a few years ago and I don’t miss the softner salt routine.
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Amen, brother. The sooner the better.
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So true. Our leak had been going for only a few days, yet ruined the carpet in two closets and a hallway. I’ve been checking the closet, where it all started, much more often lately! Thank you for your thoughts, Manu. God Bless.
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What a great illustration …. but a terrible experience for you. So much hassle and clean up!!! I hope the rest of the year is problem free 🙂
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I really like how you connected the steady hidden leak to unconfessed sin. And the longer we leave it, the more the damage it can cause.
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Don’t be a drip! Fix the leaks!
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Installing a water softener along with the water heater makes much sense. My water is also extremely hard and has a few other things in it. So along with the water softener I use filters for the whole house that have to be changed regularly. The filters have had problems with sealing at time, making it necessary to turn off all the water in the house until the proper seal could be found.
David, your analogy about unconfessed sin and the hidden water damage was a good one. Blessings of no more plumbing issues and long lasting appliances!!!
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Thank you, BG. God Bless!
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I like this and it reminds me to not be presumptuous. That is a great verse and prayer to pray!
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