Sweeping dust off of dust

"For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust" Psalm 103: 14

This morning as I sat by the window reading, I noticed an interesting site on the road in front of our building. There has been a massive overhaul of the road over the past few months and to say it's been a mess would be a great understatement. As I watched the tractors and bulldozers, something caught my eye: there were a few men sweeping dust off of the dirt road. I think I chuckled inside as I thought of how seemingly pointless and absurd this was. One man was working his way down and as he swept, dust clouds formed and settled where the had previously swept. Being six stories up, maybe there was something I didn't see, but from where I sat it looked like they were trying to sweep dust off of dust.

As I continued to watch and think, I wondered if this is sometimes how I perceive God and His work in my life. I feel like I have been reminded a lot lately that we are but dust. I get so discouraged and disappointed with myself and assume that God feels the same way; but He knows that I am only dust. Not that He has no expectations from me, but He made me, He knows my frame. He knows that I will fail, He knows that I will sin, He knows that I will let others down and let myself down. He knows I will question His goodness and His love for me. He knows.

So often I wonder if it's not like sweeping dust off of dust; seemingly pointless and sometimes absurd. The dust often settles back right where it was lifted from.

But what I cannot see in this moment is that in that place where that man is sweeping, there will one day be a road. I cannot see it, but I know there will be. One day that road will be complete and in some way, his sweeping dust will be a part of that road being complete.

And so it is with me. One day I will be made complete, whole, in the perfect image of my Maker. I know it, even though I cannot see it. In the mean time, He must sweep dust off of dust in order to make me more and more like Himself. Some days it seems pointless and absurd, but I know that day will come, when all will be complete in Him.

I am grateful that He does not see as I see, that He knows purpose in continually sweeping...

"The  LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding." Isaiah 40: 28