Our house has two bathrooms. The
other day, while in one of them, I noticed a bunch of things that I normally
don’t notice: marks here and there, dirt, cracks, spots, cobwebs, dust, rust…
all kinds of imperfections. Joanne and I (mostly Joanne) keep a pretty neat
house, so it’s not like the place is falling apart or dirt is piling up. This
is just stuff that happens in every house over time and sooner or later I know we’ll
get to it. But we’re not obsessive compulsive about such things and we are not
perfectionists. In fact, I usually don’t pay much attention to all the marks
and spots and various imperfections. Unlike Joanne, I tend to be oblivious to
them and they just don’t seem that important to me.
So why did I start to notice so much
detail on this day? The reason is that I was thinking about company that we may
have sometime in the near future. When I thought of a special guest coming I began
to see the bathroom in a new light. What will he think when he sees the
spots and marks and imperfections? What kind of impression will it make on him? What opinion will he form of us?
How will we look to him? All of a sudden everything that I normally take for
granted and think almost nothing about took on a different significance.
Everything stood out. All the flaws were noticeable and I cared about them in a
new light.
This all struck me as a spiritual
lesson hit home. How often do I get “comfortable” with the imperfections of my
heart and life: the “small” sins and spiritual inconsistencies that become
unnoticed or that I too easily overlook? We are often more aware of our sins of
commission than we are of our sins of omission – the things we leave out,
forget to do, or overlook. We also forget that THE most special
guest possible – the Lord Jesus Christ – is a resident of our hearts by the
Holy Spirit. And the more we forget that, the easier it is to overlook all the
sins that accumulate there – even the ones we think are small and
inconsequential. But He doesn’t overlook such things. He sees and knows
everything that is there. Nothing misses His eye. But He doesn’t condemn us. He
doesn’t think poorly of us. In love He offers a way to “clean up the place”. Instead
of criticizing He invites us to confess our sins to Him and experience the cleansing
power of His blood. For my part, I realize that ignoring my sin never produces
spiritual health. Ignoring my sin is like pretending my bathroom is spotless
when it isn’t. It won’t fix the problem. But the Bible teaches me that Jesus
has the fix. It is the power of His blood that He shed for us. Rather than
pretending or trying cover up or hide my sins, it is so much wiser and
productive to let Him forgive them and take away their power and unsightliness.
And this He does willingly and freely. He is gracious and happy to do it – and
all at His own expense. What a great Savior Jesus is! How awesome is His grace
and mercy!
1 John 1:5-10 - 5 This
is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is
light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have
fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out
the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we
have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us
from all sin. 8 If
we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our
sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we
claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word
is not in us.
Matthew 7:1-5 – 1 “Do not judge, or you
too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will
be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.3 “Why
do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention
to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother,
‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in
your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own
eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
PRAYER: “Father, rather
than getting discouraged when I become more aware of my sins, lead me to the
cross where Jesus’ blood was shed. There I find cleansing. And it is free.
Thank You. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”
Jesus
Christ is Lord!
Scott
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