clean

I spent WAY TOO MUCH time in my laundry room yesterday. My oldest son, Jake, decided it would be great fun to play in the mud at school in his light colored khaki pants. When he came home his light colored khakis looked more like dark brown courdoroys. They were FILTHY! I have a new appreciation and understanding of Isaiah 64:6 (go look it up.) So, I first soaked them for quite some time. Then I got out my scrubber and scrubbed, and scrubbed, and scrubbed for at least 1/2 hour. Next, I put them in the wash on the highest cycle it could go. Guess what! THEY ARE STILL NOT CLEAN. I suppose I will have to do more scrubbing and perhaps a few more rounds in the washing machine. Jake and I have had a "nice little chat." I needed to explain to him all that I went through to try to get his pants clean so that he would not take those clean pants for granted. He now knows that if they come home like that again he will be the one washing his pants.

Someone else likes things clean and was willing to go to a much greater extent to wash the filth away. His name is Jesus. After working on Jake's pants for much of my afternoon and thinking to myself, "He better not take all my work here for granted" I found myself saying to my Creator, "Oh Jesus- if this is how I feel after only a few hours, trying to clean PANTS, I cannot imagine how you must feel when you gave your whole life to cleanse my SOUL making it whiter than any bleach ever could." Scripture says;

"You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19 &20

"You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men." 1 Corinthians 7:23

"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST,a lamb without blemish or defect." 1 Peter 1:18 & 19

"I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing." Galatians 2:21

"Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship." Romans 12:1

May I encourage you today to seek to understand what Jesus really went through for you to wash you and make you clean. May I encourage you to fall on your knees in love and appreciation for all he did. May I encourage you to keep God's mercy in the forefront of your mind today (and every day) NEVER taking his sacrifice for granted. May I encourage you to go into your day offering your life to him, not because you have to but because you are soooo thankful to him for making you clean and are aware of the price involved.

Remember the golden rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do to you." After scrubbing, scrubbing scrubbing...................Jake's pants, I know I would not be too happy if he did not honor all that I went through to get them clean. Blessings from Bombadil! May your soul be watered and may you go water another soul out there somewhere today. Kristy Joy link

p.s.- Can I just say, some of you guys out there are really, really great at doing laundry. I tip my hat to you. Maybe you could offer a class for us "laundry impaired."