Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely , whatever is of good report, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, ponder on these things. - Philippians 4:8

Saturday, March 22, 2014

SPRING CLEANING


     Against her better judgment, Martha sent Bill to the store to pick up some items while she kept busy with her spring cleaning. When Bill arrived at the store, he pulled out the list he had been given by his wife and headed to the hardware section of the store to find some picture hooks. He should have went there last.

      “Well, hi, Bill.” came a familiar voice. It was Doc Henderson or Tim when he was not at work. “Hi Tim.” Bill returned greetings, “Are you enjoying the warm spring weather we are having?” “Sure am.” Tim replied, “I'm helping my wife do some spring cleaning and she sent me down here with a list of things to get. “Same here.” Bill said.

      “What kind of things did Martha send you out for?” Tim asked. “For starters,” Bill started to say, “I need to find some picture hooks and then some markers to make a for sale sign, and then...” Tim interrupted, “”For sale sign?” Tim said, “Are you moving?” “No,” Bill said, “Were just having a cleaning out Harold's room sale.”

      “I thought Harold was gone?” Tim said a bit puzzled, “Did he come home?” “No,” Bill said with a grin, “We just decided that since he was gone we would clean his room and sell all his 'Extra' stuff that he never uses. We're sure he'll never miss it since he never uses it.” Why doesn't he use it?” Tim asked. “Because he can never find it.” Bill said.

      “What have you found so far, if I dare ask?” Tim said, “Is there anything my boys might be interested in?” “There might be.” Bill replied, “So far I've found three extra ball gloves, Almost a hundred different video games, three garbage bags full of school assignments, ….” You're not planning on selling those are you?” Tim injected.

      “No.” Bill laughed, “ Why would anybody want to pay for D- work. Those are going to the trash. Speaking of trash, I think I'm suppose to buy some garbage bags.” “I need some of them too.” Tim said, “Let's head over to the trash can aisle. By the way, when are you having the sale.” “I'd say it will be at least another week.” Bill said.

      “Speaking of sales.” Tim said as they rounded the corner to the trash aisle, “They are having a 50 % of sale over in the tool aisle.” “They are?!” Bill lit up. “Why are we wasting time over here?” “Because are wives sent us shopping.” Tim reminded Bill. “They are counting on us for help.” “Yeah, I know.” Bill sighed, “But a 50% off sale – I can't pass that up.”

      Two hours later, Bill headed for the parking lot pushing a cart full of tools, unfortunately, he forgot what he was there for and when he got home Martha was rather upset and sent him back which was another mistake.

      Now it came about when the king lived in his house, and the LORD had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, that the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within tent curtains."
2 Samuel 7:1-2 (NASB)

      After David had brought the ark to Jerusalem, he decided it was time to build a temple for God, but God said no! And Solomon built the temple instead and what a glorious temple it was but something happened or should I say didn't happen. The temple was left to itself and deteriorated until Josiah decided to do some spring cleaning.

      Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem; He did right in the sight of the LORD and walked in all the way of his father David, nor did he turn aside to the right or to the left. Now in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan to the house of the LORD saying, "Go up to Hilkiah the high priest that he may count the money brought in to the house of the LORD which the doorkeepers have gathered from the people. "Let them deliver it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD, and let them give it to the workmen who are in the house of the LORD to repair the damages of the house, to the carpenters and the builders and the masons and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the house. "Only no accounting shall be made with them for the money delivered into their hands, for they deal faithfully."
2 Kings 22:1-8 (NASB)

      Like the Peterson's cleaning Harold's room, Like Josiah cleaning up the temple, sometimes we need to do some cleaning up of ourselves. God's word talks in various place of the idea of cleaning up ourselves. Take these verses for instance:
  • Isaiah 1:16 Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, (NASB)
  • 2 Corinthians 7:1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. (ESV)
  • Acts 22:16 And now, why delay? Get up and be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on the name of the Lord.' (NLT)
      In a sense, cleaning ourselves up is like making ourselves new....
  • Ephesians 4:22-24 You were taught to leave your old self—to stop living the evil way you lived before. That old self becomes worse, because people are fooled by the evil things they want to do. But you were taught to be made new in your hearts, to become a new person. That new person is made to be like God—made to be truly good and holy. (NCV)
     But cleaning is not always enough. Once clean we need to take care of what is cleaned or it may become worse off as we see in Matthew 12:43-45
  • Matthew 12:43-45 "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation." (ESV)
     So, here is something we can do -
  • Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (ESV)
     And Here's Something To Ponder
  • Do you like to spring clean in your life?
  • Do you work to keep your life clean?

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