Keep it clean
Monday, August 23
Keep it Clean
You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. Hebrews 3:13
A little over a year now we purchased a new fridge. It was so nice and clean! It was also very scratch resistant. This means it was designed to be easy to clean, I was excited. We would be able to keep it clean and looking like new without the build-up from previous years of sticky fingers and spilled food.
Some of you may have already figured out where this story is going. You guessed it. Before long, life happened. One time a spill happens that didn’t get wiped up right away. Fingerprints all over. Not to mention the inside of the fridge. I kept meaning to get in there and clean it thoroughly but somehow it kept getting postponed. And that brings us to today. As I was scrubbing, I was thinking, “If only we had been consistent enough to clean it every time there was a spill!” There is a parallel here between this messy fridge and our spiritual lives.
When we first got saved, many of us had great enthusiasm to always do everything right. If we sinned, we were quick to repent and get right with the Lord. We never wanted to be far from His presence. But oftentimes the busy-ness of life creeps in. Maybe we stop noticing the ‘little’ things, or we think it’s not such a big deal. But God warns us in scriptures to take care of the little things before they bring ruin. Song of Solomon 2:15 says, ‘Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!’ Or how about the words written in today’s verse which says, ‘You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God’ – Hebrews 3:13.
The writer of Hebrews says how we must deal with our sins daily so that we don’t become hardened. This reminds me so much of the grease in the oven and spills in the fridge. Once those stains set in and it gets hard, it is much more difficult to get rid of it.
Today, I am encouraging myself, as well as you. Let us keep ourselves clean before the Lord on a daily basis. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to soften those hard areas in our lives and bring His cleaning.
Prayer for today: Dear Lord, forgive me for the times I have made excuses or put off what I know You are calling me to do. I repent now for the things which You have shown me. Help me walk pure and holy in Your sight. Amen.