Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Just Get Rid of It!


For the past five weeks, maybe more, I have found something rather despicable in our church building.  Each week when we arrive at the space we rent for our church, we all have our separate responsibilities to do before members and guests begin arriving.  I always go check the bathrooms and make sure there is toilet paper, a clean towel on the rack and then I spray something to make it smell better.  Both bathrooms are old and we have had major problems with the plumbing, so there is just that old musty building smell, know what I mean?  I did put plug in’s in there but the ladies thought it would run up the electric bill.  (rolling my eyes) so, the bathrooms get a weekly dose of pinesol instead.  That usually lasts long enough for the service to conclude without anyone complaining.  Plus, pinesol always makes things smell clean anyway. 

Here while back as I went about my bathroom checking, I started noticing that the toilet in the children’s area off of the kitchen was always not flushed.  At first I just pulled the chord and flushed it while holding my nose and reaching for the pinesol.  But after several weeks finding the same stinky situation, I became quite aggravated.  Of course my first suspicion was my own children (poor souls).  I went OFF on them reminding them we are not animals that do things like that and how could they treat the house of God so poorly, etc. etc. etc.  They swore up and down that they had nothing to do with it, but being the mean mom I am, I gave them the evil eye and speech to go with it for good measure. 

When the next Sunday rolled around after my tirade about cleanliness is next to godliness, I marched towards the offensive bathroom at church and lo and behold there was a dirty bowl, AGAIN.  Dude….I was upset!  I knew it wasn’t my children and I knew there had not been English classes during the week, so the only reasonable conclusion was that someone had used a key and the facilities on the sly.  I resolved that I am going to catch them….well, hopefully not in the act, but I am going to get to the bottom of all this.  (no pun intended)

Why am I telling this fascinatingly gross story?  Because as I mulled over how mad this bathroom person is making me, I stopped and realized, I do this to God, EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.  I use the body and mind and spirit HE has given me and allowed me to inhabit here on earth and I sin.  I sin and I don’t take care of it.  I leave it harboring and festering without confessing it and repenting right away. 

You can lower your self-righteous nose now because you know you do it too.  We are all guilty of letting sin slide without looking at it for what it really is, disgusting.  No, we may not be snorting cocaine or cheating on our husbands or robbing a bank every day, but we do sin and sin is sin is sin is sin.  There is no difference!

1.       Sometimes we lie.  And what does the Bible say about that? It’s an abomination.

Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.

2.      Sometimes we say mean things. And what does the Bible say about that? We shouldn’t speak evil of each other.

James 4:11-12 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

3.      Sometimes we are proud.  And what does the Bible say about that? God hates it.

Proverbs 6:16-17 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,


Look, I could make a nice long list of daily offenses, but I think you get my drift.  We need to take inventory of our own selves during the day and see if there is anything we are NOT getting rid of when we should.  James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.  If we know we should be confessing and repenting, and we don’t do it, well, that is just adding more sin!

I know you think this is a “downer” post and I won’t get a lot of pats on the back for writing it, but maybe it will strike home with one of you like it did me and you can take some time making some things right in your life.  Don’t fall prey to the “God forgive me and help me” quick prayer!  Get down on your face and spend some time asking His Spirit to search the corners of your heart for anything that might be standing in between your soul and the Saviour!  He will point it out and you can take care of it. 

Are we forgiven and on our way to Heaven?  I am.  But while I am down here waging the war against this old flesh, I have to keep my relationship with Him clear.  Best thing about it?  His mercy and grace and forgiveness are a lot more powerful than my generic pinesol! ;)

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Until next time, Lord willing,
Sheri

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