Gettin Clean...

Today as I was staining the deck I was thinking about how much preparation it took just to get it to the point of applying the stain. Kinda funny to think of cleaning something up only to turn around and "stain" it...Hmmm... back to the cleaning part. Here are the steps that we had to take to prep...Sweep, take a big nail and flick all the maple helicopters and dog hair,etc... out from between the cracks, (alot of little details). Next mix up a smelly bleach solution and using a scrub brush on our hands and knees scrub all the algae and mildew off. Bear in mind our deck is surrounded by a picket fence too, also covered in 'green'...(alot of scrubbing). Then rinse with clean water and let dry. My knees were raw for about 4 days after that. Did I mention that we have neglected our deck for the past 3 years? A few boards even have some dry rot. Not a good practice when you live in the woods. The clean up was a great improvement but now it needed protection even more. The wood was completely exposed; bare. If left to it's own defenses, it would probably make it through another winter, but would suffer with the passage of time. It got me thinking about how really dirty we all are. We neglect the prep process because we are always in such a hurry to get to the next 'thing'... We procrastinate on some of the most important things, spiritual and physical because we think they take too much time. And besides, they can wait, there's always tomorrow. If you own a home there is constantly some kind of upkeep project on a list somewhere, but it's more fun to go ---fill in the blank---. I can be a great procrastinator when those "projects" cut in on my hooking time. But today as I was pondering cleaning and prepping it got me thinking of a parrallel between that and what God does for us. As we put things off...bible study and spending time in prayer, we are wandering away from Him. He is the one who makes us clean so as we step away we start to get dirty. As we stay away we get filthy, maybe even some dry rot sets in. Our protector is held at bay. At first we don't notice it, you know, you had a really good study time and you've drawn it out, used it and made it last for a good two months and all of a sudden you realize your cup is empty...Things just don't seem right, the lightness has gone out of your step. You find yourself standing ankle deep in the mud and there is some algae growing on your elbows. I am so guilty of this! When I think of the prep job Jesus went through to make a way to clean us up my raw red knees are nothing by comparison. We have it made as far as the spiritual laudromat goes. The cost for us has already been paid and now it's up to us to do our part, meaning making sure we first accept the fact that we can't get clean on our own and then get back in touch with God. He actually covers us with the stain of His sacrafice so I guess that "stain" concept wasn't so bizarre after all, although HIS stain is in place at all times and doesn't fade with wear. You might think this whole post is a bit too 'out there', sort of oversimplifying God's greatness. That's not my intent... Sometimes I just have these little sparks that hit me and feel compelled to share. If only my knees were raw due to time spent in prayer to an everlasting God who is ready to receive us at all times.

"And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near." Hebrews 10:21-25 The Message Bible