By Marilyn Travis
I cleaned my kitchen and dining area recently. I really worked at it. I even washed the big window and the sliding door in the dining room. I wiped down all the cabinets and put a shine on the stove and hood above it. The countertop gleamed and the dining room table glowed. I swept and mopped the floor too. There wasn’t even a stray piece of dog or cat food to step on! By the time I finished, I was a sweaty mess. It took me the better part of the day to accomplish such a glorious outcome, but it was worth it. I was very proud of myself. It looked amazing!
Of course, such perfection was soon marred a bit. The dog had a snack and left a few pieces of food on the floor. After cooking and eating dinner more clean up was required. I found a few pieces of popcorn under the counter after we had a late snack. I wasn’t deterred though. I tidied up and soon had restored my kitchen and dining room to the glory achieved earlier in the day.
I went to bed feeling quite proud of myself and all that I had accomplished.
The next morning was beautiful. The sun was rising, and I looked forward to the day. Our dining room window is on the east side of the house. When I entered the room, the sun was beginning to shine through that window. I noticed streaks I couldn’t see in the afternoon light the day before. I vowed to wash that window again. Then as the sun crept higher in the sky its light slowly illuminated the dining table, counter, stove and cabinets. What I thought was glorious perfection was not. Tiny bits of dust clung to my table, and every little scratch and imperfection was exposed. I found some spots on my counter I had missed, and the stove had streaks and there were places on the floor near the cabinet that were not as clean as I had thought.
I put my best effort toward cleaning the kitchen, and I thought it was thoroughly clean, but no amount of effort I put forth in the dim light of the afternoon would allow me to see everything that needed to be done.
The experience reminded me of my walk with Christ. No matter how hard I try to live a clean life, without sin, I can’t. No amount of effort on my part will accomplish that. Sometimes I deceive myself for a while and believe I’m doing a pretty good job, but then the Son shows up through the Holy Spirit and exposes my faults.
This seems like Christianity 101, but I struggle with sin every day of my life, and I bet you do too!
1 John 1:5-9
“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
I don’t ever want to take this for granted. I am powerless to help myself, but I don’t have to help myself! Jesus purifies me from all my sin and I not only have fellowship with Him, but I have fellowship with you. He purifies you from your sin too! The thought fills me with joy and hope!
I found a version of “Search Me, Oh God” that has music and lyrics, but no singing. I enjoyed singing it as a prayer. You may want to sing the prayer or just read it. Either way it is beautiful.
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