A Clean House

How do you approach cleaning?

• I enjoy refreshment and a sense of accomplishment from it.
• I tolerate it as an unwelcome necessity of life.
• I loathe it and will make about any excuse to avoid it.

I cleaned today. Not because I expect company or because I had nothing better to do, but because the weekend is nearly here, which means several of us will be home for extended hours. To me, a clean house is a comfortable home. You might rationalize that if several of us will be home, it's better to wait until everyone returns to school and work, since the house will get more dirty with everyone in it. The same reasoning applies when making your bed in the morning when you'll get into it again at the end of the day.

As I was cleaning today, I realized...it's not the act of cleaning that thrills me. I only enjoy the process of cleaning because I anticipate the end result: a comfortable house in which I can relax because the dust bunnies aren't peering at me from under furniture. I'm refreshed in a house full of clean smells.

It's the same with spiritual growth. I'm not thrilled with the process. It's messy, inconvenient, and sometimes painful. But the result is a maturing relationship with Jesus. I won't enjoy the comfort of a close relationship without letting him cleanse my life. He gets rid of the accumulating dust bunnies. He sanitizes the toxic surfaces. He washes away the filth to refresh me.

Look around your house. What needs to be done to clean your house?

Cleaning will take time and effort.

Look at your heart. What needs to be done to clean it?

Cleaning will take time and effort. But Jesus will take care of it...if you'll let him.

Create in me a clean heart, O God.Renew a loyal spirit within me. - Psalm 51:10 (NLT)

Missed a Spot

I drive a van. Not the most stylish way to travel, but I've learned to enjoy it. I like to take care of the vehicles I drive, so I regularly wash and wax my van, keep the inside cleaned, and have the oil changed (something I haven't learned to do, nor do I have the desire to learn).

The first time I waxed the van, I met a new challenge. I'd never had such a tall vehicle. Usually, I could open a door, stand on the floorboard and reach the middle of the roof. Not with the van. I wasn't even close. I even tried standing on the seats, but I could only reach portions of the roof...and risked the probability of falling over backward. I don't mind risk, but it was easy to rationalize the risk was too great, so I decided to skip the roof. After all, who would see it?

I started waxing the rest of the van, but I kept thinking about the roof. Drat the inconvenient times God speaks to me. I could have been content to just shine what I could see...but he reminded me that's not the way he does things.

Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. - Psalm 51:10 (NLT)

He doesn't leave dirty spots. He doesn't ignore the places hidden from view; those are exactly the most important ones to get and keep clean! It doesn't matter whether or not I see the top of my van. It's exposed to rain and sun more than any other area of my vehicle, so it's the last area I should ignore! I was convicted. I fetched a ladder.

What in your life... thoughts, responsibilities, interests... are slightly out of reach yet need extra protection? God's already aware, and he's willing and able to clean it all.

...So, today I started with the top. I've decided it's a spiritual discipline for me, a reminder I need to place everything in my life under his cleansing and protection. I was pretty proud of myself as I balanced on my ladder. And then I started on the lower panels. The car wash had not completely removed the summer road grime. Ugh. What would it hurt to wax over a little streak here and there?

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. - 1 John 1:9

How have you glossed over your imperfections? How did it work for you?

It never works well for me. Convicted again. Yes, it took me longer to wax the van, but I'm sure it was worth it. And I'll let you know next time I plan to wax the van, because I'm sure God will continue to teach me!

If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. - 2 Timothy 2:21