Cleaning

My family and I just spent a glorious weekend with out of state relatives. They left the frigid cold of Minnesota to thaw out a bit in our Arizona sunshine. We apologized profusely that it was rainy and only in the sixties one of the days they were here. They graciously reminded us that it was thirty below zero back home and our temps were still almost 100 degrees warmer than theirs! It's all in your perspective.


As wonderful as that weekend was, the week before was nothing but work and preparation for their arrival. And not only theirs, but we have other out of state company coming to stay for a few nights for a family wedding this week. That meant lots of housecleaning in places I haven't cleaned for a while! I dusted, vacuumed, mopped, picked up piles of stuff that should have been filed, put away, or thrown away months ago. I scrubbed toilets, showers, and vanities until they gleamed. My house is now in order. Isn't that how it is supposed to be? If you're anything like me, I want my house to be clean, but I hate the process.


The same can be said of my spiritual life. I want to know Christ, but I don't always want to take the time to cultivate my relationship with Him. I don't always make time to read my Bible, pray, or serve Him in the ways I know would please Him most. I'm not one who thinks God wants me to be on a constant guilt trip because I don't read my Bible every day. Don't get me wrong, I believe it's to my benefit every time I do spend time in His Word, but I don't think He gets mad at me if I don't get to it daily, any more than my earthly friends get mad if I don't call them every day. They understand that I have a lot going on and I think He understands the days I'm rushing out the door to get my daughter to school without first having my quiet time. But it doesn't mean I can't talk to Him on the way home in my quiet car. There are so many ways to draw close to Christ.


But the beauty of those quiet moments alone with Him when I do make the time! He brings order to my chaos, peace to my frustrations, and joy to my living. Even if my 'living" at the time happens to be mostly housework! All my work can become a divine expression of my love for Him as He brings meaning into even the most mundane task. And that's only part of the payoff.


After all that cleaning, the real fun begins. The company comes and the celebrating begins. Relationships are forged stronger, laughter rings bright, and memories are burned into our minds to relive on dreary days. Yes, I'd gladly spend even another whole week cleaning just to get to enjoy those days with family and friends. It's rich and blessed. God smiles knowing one day He will throw the biggest party of all when Jesus returns. What joy and laughter there will be when we all come together to celebrate the hard fought battles of this life knowing we were victorious because of Him. How He must anticipate seeing the joy on our faces, hearing the laughter, wiping away our tears one final time. And hallelujah! We don't have to have a clean house to be ready for that party. Just a clean heart that has loved Him and accepted the gift of His Son, Jesus. Now that's a party I don't want to miss!