Cleaning House

Matthew 6:18 – It will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (NIV)

Though it was summertime and I knew it should be hot, some of us had found it far too hot for outdoor activities, even the things we needed to be tending, like weeding the garden. Just to sit out-of-doors was out of the question. I hadn't wanted to clean the house, but I didn't have an excuse — since we have air conditioning.

Cleaning house is simply not my favourite thing to do, and so I had kept putting it off. Yet I have always maintained that after a day of cleaning house, it is very rewarding to see everything shining clean and in its place. Housecleaning, though, is something I like to do by myself with nothing to interrupt me, so I usually choose a day when no-one is around the house.

As I thought of the time alone and the cleaning that brings such a reward, I began to think of how we should take time to clean and clear our minds of the clutter that gathers there. By fasting and praying alone, and feasting only on the Word of God, things become much clearer. Cleaning house God's way involves taking time to rid ourselves of the clutter we tend to store away.

The ungodly thinking that clogs the mind's filter needs to be changed, and one way to do so is to take time alone in His presence to unload the mind. We need clear minds and a greater understanding of Scripture to increase spiritual discernment about ourselves and others around us.

God has time. Are we willing to let Him in?

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, enable us to take time to be with You, to cleanse our minds, so that things will be made clearer to us through the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within. As we pray and focus on You, be present so that we will become clean and more pure. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.