My aunt is a clean freak. Her house always smells like a perfect mixture of just the right amount of essential oils and just the right amount of bleach. She usually has a pair of yellow or blue rubber gloves laying around because she was cleaning when you came through the front door only to greet you with a “Hey, y’all come in, excuse my house, it is filthy.” For the record, I have never been to her house where it wasn’t fit for a queen.
After I had my oldest daughter, I was very sick. I had two blood transfusions and was in the hospital for about a week. Bo had came a month early and I had a very quick labor so within a matter of hours-my life was turned upside down as was my house. Even my husband who is not a clean freak-started cleaning and tidying up. I remember laying in bed with the most precious baby sleeping on my chest. I looked around my room and thought- Wow! This is insane. I’m so glad that my husband is going to have to clean this up. After having some complications that night, I was readmitted to the hospital to receive more blood. My Mom told me that my aunt had called and asked if there was anything that I wanted my aunt to do and my first thought was absolutely, she can clean my house.
There is a saying that I am sure many of you have heard before. There are friends that you clean for, friends that you don’t clean for, and friends that help you clean. Prior to having kids-I didn’t have a lot of people in my life that I wanted cleaning my house. After having kids-anyone can come clean my house. We don’t even have to be friends.
Reflecting back on this time in my life made me realize that my aunt is a lot like Jesus.
We all have dirty houses. They are full of dust, dirty dishes, and laundry. We can clean them but it isn’t a permanent fix. Within seconds to hours- the unclean process begins the minute we stop cleaning. Sometimes I feel like cleaning my house is as productive as eating Oreos while brushing my teeth.
We can’t forget about those closets either, the ones to where you have to jiggle the knob just right to get it to close and hope that the next person that opens it doesn’t get scared when a queen size comforter falls out on their head.
“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
I Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJV
Our lives are like our houses. Jesus is like my aunt. He just wants to help you. He just wants to come in to your life and clean you up. He isn’t going to judge you, he knows everything about you anyways. You can’t hide anything from Him either. He is knocking at your door but you have to be the one to let him in. He can’t clean you up if you don’t let him in. Sometimes, we feel like we have to clean ourselves up before we let Jesus in. I get that. We want to be worthy. We want to feel good enough. We want to feel like we have our stuff together for at least 5 minutes. The truth is, not a single one of us is worthy, good enough, or got it all together without Jesus. It just can’t happen. And if we are really being honest-even as Christians-we still don’t always have it together BUT in spite of our fleshly shortcomings we are equipped with God’s power to overcome it all.
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
II Peter 1:2-4 NKJV
What do you do after you let Jesus in your life and he has you all cleaned up? Now what? This is where it gets real fun. Let Him deep clean your closets or your junk drawer or whatever container you have for those areas in your life that you don’t want anyone to touch or see. Those places that only you know about. The unforgiveness. The jealousy. The secret spending. Whatever it is-let him have it. Why? Because he needs that room to bless you. He wants to turn your weaknesses into strengths. He wants to build you up. He can’t use your closets to store his favor if it is overflowing with unforgiveness. That untouched area of your life that you carry around with you, that has taken root in your heart, it has all got to go! Sure, you can hold on to it and still get to heaven but why in the world would you not want to let it go? Why would you not want to live life more abundantly?
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
John 10:10 NKJV
Stop allowing the enemy to make a mess in your life and allow Jesus to complete the ultimate fixer upper: YOU.
I know what it feels like to lay in bed helpless and weak. To look around in total disbelief at the total disaster that surrounds you and to be physically unable to do absolutely anything about it. You’re so overwhelmed and exhausted that you totally surrender to the situation. Then the phone rings. Help is on the way. My aunt is coming with her bleach and rubber gloves.
None of us escape life without enduring those helpless moments. Times when you feel so far from where and who you want to be that you feel like giving up is the best option but I have some great news, Jesus is just one call, one prayer away from zooming in to help you get lined out. You don’t have to clean anything. You don’t have to reorganize real quick. Just completely surrender yourself and all areas of your life to him. Trust him and watch Him create a life changing message out of your mess!
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV
Buckskin Faith 