Faith Words: Cleaning in the Corners

We're having company come over this weekend, so that means it's time to clean.  I generally keep the house pretty clean, but for company, I like to clean a little deeper.

I say "I like to" but that's not exactly true because I don't really like cleaning all that much.  Still, it's necessary, and having company is a good motivator for me to clean, dust, mop, the whole thing.

My regular cleaning routine doesn't always include dusting.  I don't like dusting.  You have to pick up every item on every surface and clean the surface as well as the item you picked up to dust under.  A lot of times I dust around things, especially on the book shelves, but eventually, those have to be thoroughly dusted, too.

Same goes for vacuuming.  Sometimes I move the furniture, sometimes I don't.  And I rarely move everything out of the floor of the closet to vacuum there!  Under the beds?  Well...

Funny what you find when you dig in deep and move everything to dust and vacuum.  A sock you thought you'd lost in the wash.  A book that slipped behind another book on the shelf.  An almond or piece of popcorn that ended up under the chair when we snacked while watching TV. How did that shoe get way back there?

Sometimes it's not just junk you find.  Maybe it's an earring or some money.  That can be cause for celebration.  Moving the surface stuff around for a good, deep cleaning is just one of those things that needs to be done from time to time, whether I want to or not.  Our home looks and feels so much more comfortable and beautiful when it's clean - really clean.

Every once in a while, I need to take a good, deep look into the corners of my heart, too, but that's when I need to call in the Expert.  I need to let Him help me move all the stuff out and see what's back there.  He will uncover debris I've swept under the rug of my mind that I need to do away with.  Perhaps, He'll help me rediscover a gift that's gone unused for far too long.  More likely, it'll be something I've hidden away where I thought I could forget about it and pretend it hadn't happened.  I feel so much better, lighter, freer when He's helped me clean - really clean - my heart.

When's the last time you invited God in for a time of soul-searching and confession?  What's God showing you that needs to be cleaned out of your heart?  Old hurts, bad habits, willful sin?  Do you have a gift you've been reluctant to use for His glory?  If we come clean with God, He is faithful to forgive us and heal us, so we'll have room for the blessings He has promised us for this life and the one to come.

It might take some work and effort but the beauty that is revealed will be cause for celebration.

Humbly,

Patrice

Psalm 51:2 (NIV)

Wash away all my iniquity
    and cleanse me from my sin.