Cleaned Up

Earlier this year in the spring, before the grass had filled in but after the weeds had sprung up, I had to mow.

The difficulty of mowing during that time of the year is that I end up mowing as much dirt as I do grass/weeds. Plus, it had not rained for several days so the ground was dry. I was reminded of this equation:

Mowing + Dirt + Dry Ground = A Filthy Person Mowing

I finished the chore of mowing and walked in the house. My wife saw me and started howling with laughter. She said I looked like a raccoon. Dirt covering my face except where the sunglasses were. Filthy, dirty. Before I did anything like eat, lay down, or sit on the couch, she ordered me to go shower and get cleaned up. Nothing could be done until I was cleaned up.

So it is when we are getting right with God. The only difference is the dirt and filth of the sin in our hearts is no laughing matter. It is ugly. It is an offense to God’s holiness. It is an affront to our Savior. It is a sin for which Jesus had to die. No inconsequential or innocuous sin exists. Every sin is messy and unsightly.

Getting cleaned up requires action on our part. First, someone should be a born-again believer in Jesus, a follower of Christ, that is a Christian.

Second, we should allow the Holy Spirit access to our heart to give an assessment of what is truly going on in our lives.

Third, we should confess any sin that the Holy Spirit points out and agree with God that the sin is wrong and unacceptable in life.

Fourth, we should repent or turn away from that sin so that through the strength of the Holy Spirit in us we are no longer involved in the sin.

Fifth, we should receive the forgiveness that the Lord offers and be able to step into His presence having been washed clean.

Just as we wash our hands before we sit down for dinner, we wash our hearts to be right with God. Jesus deserves clean vessels following Him. Jesus deserves a people who are taking His sacrifice on the cross seriously rather than taking Him for granted.

To be clean you must take time to come before the Lord with sincerity and contriteness for the sin that has crept or stormed into your life. What is the Holy Spirit convicting you of? What actions or attitudes, words or thoughts, commissions or omissions, repeating sins or new sins are present in your life right now?

Will you confess them by agreeing with God that they are present and are wrong?

Will you repent of them by turning to Christ and affirming in your heart that Jesus is more important to you than your sin? Will you receive the forgiveness that Jesus offers and enjoy the place of being right with Christ again?