A Little Straightening Up

I’ve been straightening up lately. I haven’t been cleaning, just straightening.

For my Mother’s Day gift, my husband is providing me with a one-time house cleaner today. So you know how that goes. I have to straighten up so she can clean up.

In fact she came over Monday to survey the house and see what I wanted to have done. I can tell she was wondering how she was going to be able to dust, mop and vacuum with all the stuff that was strewn everywhere. She looked a little concerned.

I assured my one-time heroine that things would be put in their appropriate places so she could indeed dust and wipe down and mop and vacuum and such.

So as I’ve been straightening up and putting things in their places and throwing things away today, I’ve considered how I might need to do the same thing in the deeper places of my life. You see I’ve been asking God to do some pretty deep cleaning in me lately as well. And while He is quite willing and able to sanctify or wash me up all by Himself, I do have to cooperate with some preliminary work.

Before God moves in with the cleansing power of His Word and His Spirit – a might duo indeed – it’s a good idea for me to set the stage for His work by:

• allowing Him to search my heart and see if there are any wicked ways or sins I might need to confess and repent from. Sort of like my walk thru with my housecleaning angel on Monday, I need to give Him permission to point out any waywardness I need to deal honestly with.
• rearranging my priorities so that I take time to spend with Him each day, consistently and eagerly.
• sorting through the hindrances that have recently gotten in the way of my seeking Him more often.
• putting aside all the encumbrances that weigh me down and get in my way of running a clean race.
• and making sure He has all the cleaning tools He needs to work with, namely His Word. I may need to spend more time in the Bible, even adopt a few new ways of approaching His holy Word.

So while I was putting things away yesterday, I also took a little mental inventory of my walk with the Lord. And indeed I found some things to be out of place.

And today, while my one-time maid really scrubs and cleans my house until it sparkles, I’m going to be sitting and soaking in the Word of God, allowing Him to scrub me clean as well.