Cleaning House

I am not a systematic house cleaner. I tend to clean as I go, or set time aside for a larger task. Sometimes, finding an unexpected cobwebbed corner will push me into action, but it's a not a favourite activity. Cleaning up my spiritual house may seem even more daunting, but it's needed to make real change. The writer of the letter to the Hebrews urges us to "clean house" so that we can do what God has set out for us.

Hebrews 12:1-2 – Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us set aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us; looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (NKJV)

What needs to change in your life, that is worth making the difficult choices? Today's passage compares the Christian life to an athletic race. What is slowing you down as a spiritual runner? Maybe it's the practical need of a healthy body, which means making better food choices and being more active. Is a healthier mind what you need? Does that mean avoiding certain television shows or Internet feeds, and limiting your screen time? Does your daily list of duties need a dusting? By eliminating certain activities and deciding what's most important, you can narrow in on what means the most.

David, the psalmist, asked God, "Create in me a clean heart" (Psalm 51:10a NKJV). Let's spend that cleaning time in prayer, asking God what needs to be confessed, and then doing it. It's no easy task, but we will be spotting the cobwebbed corners of sins that lead to the unhealthy actions and decisions that we make. Just as the house needs a regular cleanup, let's keep asking God to show us the spiritual areas that need work. We can be assured that He will be with us, so get out the broom!

Prayer: Father, we want our lives to be clean and pure before You, so that we can say, "Hosanna! In the mighty halls, or alone in my room, Your praises cross the earth, for only You can atone, from utter east to the final west. Those who love You gather before the throne; in one voice we shout, Hosanna! If we are silent, cries would come from the very stones." Amen.

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