Is your Storehouse Secure

For the past two weeks or so I’ve been hearing them scurry across the roof. Giving me an immediate flashback to when they had taken up residence between the roof and my ceiling… Here’s the story. Picture it, Mt. Vernon, three years ago…

It was around this time of the year and around 5am I would hear this running in my crawl space. Of course, my first thought was rats. Followed by my second thought – if I had rats that made so much noise, I was leaving on the next train. I eventually told my neighbor about my morning alarm and he told me that most likely it was squirrels, which had gotten in and were storing their food for the winter. He said I should call an exterminator, because they’ll eat the insulation and other materials, which would be costly to replace. I told my dad and we got an exterminator to come to the house. He confirmed that it was squirrels and set a one-way trap for them. About a week later, he returned to remove the trap and close the hole they had been entering the house through.

My message to you this morning is – “Is your storehouse secure?”

Do you find yourself like the squirrel, storing your nuts (passions, stories, faith), in a place or person that isn’t secure? Maybe it’s a long time friend, whom you have grown to trust, only to find out your secrets are now in “Scandal Weekly,” because they didn’t think it was that serious? Or a job you devoted 60hrs/wk, only to be fired without a reason. At some point in our lives we have stored our nuts in a place they don’t belong, whether it was a bad relationship, poor work environment, pessimistic friends or one too many Oprah Life Classes. Just because the space seems secure, doesn’t mean it will serve the purpose we want.

A friend yesterday may not be the friend you need today. Just because the job pays well, doesn’t mean your health and family deserves to suffer. And receiving flowers, after being called names doesn’t constitute a healthy relationship.

Secure your passions in a place you know they’ll be safe. Don’t end up like Mr. Squirrel, who didn’t have the key to his storehouse.