Today I was cleaning up our house after Christmas, birthday and church family celebrations. I was vacuuming crumbs off the lounge when I happened to look between the crevices in the seats on one of the lounges. I was greeted by a not so lovely surprise, as a line of crumbs; food bits, hair accessories, and general yuckyness emerged. Now for anyone who has children or lots of people regularly in their homes will know things can get messy, and unless you are going to cover your furniture with plastic it’s only to be expected. It’s part and parcel of having a home, and not just a house.
However today I was amazed at how much “stuff” was hiding in my lounge. There weren’t even any happy surprises of lost money – just bits and pieces that needed to be quickly sucked up my vacuum cleaner.
It make me think about how we can also easily have things collecting or hiding in our lives, which we simply don’t notice or give much thought to because they are not immediately obvious unless you go poking around. In our everyday lives we don’t generally seek to lift the lid on the more messy, or challenging parts of our lives. We like to keep them well hidden, which allows them to build up bit-by-bit, much like the crumbs and messiness hiding within our lounge.
However when we open our hearts to Jesus, and say come and be part of my life He doesn’t leave these “messy” hiding places alone. That’s because He knows that to be completely free and cleansed He must “bring to light” all those places in our lives we have been putting to one side, or keeping hidden so as to not have to deal with them. Things like our fears, worries, our past, any relationship problems or unhealthy attitudes and mindsets. There is no end to the things we can keep hidden away; but those same things are what keep us from being free to be all that God make us to be.
“For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing concealed that will not be known and illuminated.” (Luke 8:17)
God loves us just the way we are and invites each one of us to come to Him just as we are. But He also loves us far too much to leave us with the mess we hide away from others and even ourselves. He knows it will eventually cause us harm, just as the mess in our lounge would eventually turn mouldy, start to smell, and destroy our furniture.
Today I encourage you to not waste another day keeping Jesus out of those hidden areas of your life. He moves and touches our hearts, not to harm or make things difficult for us, but to bring freedom and abundant life. When we say yes to Him, our life may seem to get messier for a while, but that’s momentary as He does a “vacuum clean”, and the results are far reaching, life giving, and joy-filled. For if you allow Him God will turn your mess into a message of hope, and joy for both your life, and everyone around you. For “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
“How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.” (Psalm 31:19)
Prayer: Lord, help me to trust you to reveal and clean up any areas of my life that I’ve been keeping hidden or pushing aside. I give you permission to search all of my life today, so you can bring any needed change or healing. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24) In Jesus Name Amen.