So, I got a new vacuum (well, actually it was a hand-me-down from my sister-in-law BUT, it is new to me) … one of those Rainbow deals… you know, the kind filled with water and enough sucking power to inhale a small animal? …Well, that might be a slight exaggeration but it definitely has enough to suction to get rid of some serious set-in carpet funk. In fact, I was incredibly shocked and a little bit disgusted when I vacuumed the upstairs and saw the amount of goo and gloppy gunk floating in the water chamber. After seeing that filth, I knew I was not going to sleep well until I degunked the rest of the house.
I gathered my strength, rolled up my sleeves and worked my way from room to room, sucking up grime and dragging my water hauling R2D2 friend behind me (working up quite a serious glisten, I might add). Of course, in true vacuumusing fashion, my mind began to wander. I began to ponder the debris that was hidden deep in my seemingly clean carpet. I began to think about the (good grief) pain in the rear this whole deep cleaning process really was. Then, I started thinking about my own life and the dirty mess that has built up over the years, hidden beneath the surface of a fairly fuzz-free exterior. I thought of the extraordinary efforts I’d exerted in the past trying to sweep away all that accumulated dirt in order to make my life “right”.
Still partially reeling from a powerful study of John in this week’s Bible study, my mind immediately turned to verses in John and Ephesians that talk about the futileness of human effort in the battle of dirty build-up in our lives. I am aware that I could work diligently every hour of every day to correct past wrongs, clean up every mess, follow every rule and observe every tradition; still it would never be enough. Ephesians 2:8-9 says that salvation is a gift from God and is not the result of human works. The good news is that the extraordinary effort has already taken place. The deep cleansing has been done for me. I simply had to accept the offer.
It doesn’t make practical sense. It doesn’t make logical sense. I suppose it won’t really make any sense at all until I have the opportunity to talk to the creator Himself when I reach my final heavenly destination but I do know this: Christ, through His infinite love and compassion, exerted all of the effort needed to wash the gunk from my life and He continues to give my spirit a deep cleaning. There is no other effort required of me...no hauling around of special machinery, following detailed instructions and working up a sweat trying to get it right…simply a decision to follow Him and a request for Him to come into my life. He takes care of the rest. Amazing.
