15 Minutes to Clean / Part 1

I have wrestled with this post for over three years, every time I have wanted to share what God had revealed I have felt convicted in my spirit that it wasnt time, that if I rushed it I would sell it short. I was lead to the book of Matthew during a time of study and I really dug into the verses in chapter 12 for quite a while but verses 43-45 dug their heels into my life and I would unknowingly circle back around to them. At the initial time I come across these verses someone who had been close to me and had once had an addiction that they overcame by surrendering to Christ, had begun back on a very slippery slope headed back into old habits. At first I thought that I was reading into some behaviors too much and tried to dismiss them until others close to them began to ask if I was seeing changes in this person also. I know I dug into these specific verses at first looking for God to tell ME how to prevent it, I was searching for answers, conformation, peace that it was out of MY hands, or that God would please step in one more time because they physically couldn’t walk that path again, nor could their family walk that road with them again. The first time around was so far south of horrible there was no way I could imagine seven times worse than the first. At that time I was still looking at things from a different perspective then I now do, but God has revealed so much in these three verses to me and it was all in His time, as I matured and was ready to accept and understand them the way He wanted me to. As I went over and over the words I was reading I began to understand bits and pieces but was still completely puzzled by other parts but I took in the pieces that were coming together and trusted when the time was right God would give me answers to the unknown parts.

There had been some questionable behavior that I could not believe this individual was apart of… they were a believer, God had brought them through so much, they attended church regularly, and served from time to time. How in the world could they have been apart of something so far from Gods teachings, so like many others I dismissed it. Distance grew between us due to choices this individual made, our paths parted and went in completely different directions in such a way I was no longer able to speak into their life, I was no longer a voice of any kind of reason. Not too long after I heard the old habits where setting up camp in their life and I would occasionally run into them and had a total see it for myself conformation. My heart went out to them and those who were currently apart of their life at the time, I prayed often that the return of this unclean spirit in their lives did not bring its nasty buddies with it. During this time they were still attending and serving from time to time, watching this from a distance God began to teach and reveal to me a bigger picture. You see, Nineveh was a wicked, wicked, wicked…..WICKED place!! Those people did horrific things but they turned from those ways and followed Gods teachings from a single mans preachings and warning (may I add a reluctant man, covered in fish yuck,  a man who probably didn’t go the extra mile because he didnt believe Ninevites deserved to be saved!!!) These people cleaned their houses (not literally) and invited God to dwell within them. They changed from the inside and didnt just put on “airs” to look the part of a Christian. Generations have followed that actually physically got to see God in the flesh (Jesus) and see His power, grace, and sacrifice personally and they still didnt make the drastic changes in their lives that the Ninevites did. Then you have us……us…. we have all the information……the entire story….written down….(in the South) handed to us in various formats before we can even read, and we doubt, we do our own thing. We think it is enough to look the part, to clean our house (again not literally) and only invite God to visit depending on the company we are keeping at the given moment. A friend of mine and I joke that our goal is to keep our real houses that we live in (this time our literal houses) 15 minutes to clean, meaning if company announces they are coming we can have our homes in order for visitors in 15 minutes or less at all times.  In reality, in my case at least, usually means in some capacity one room or closet is ALWAYS off-limits  (this completely depends on the day or the week….or the company that’s coming). It’s the mad dash to get everything in order and presentable, so you look like you have your stuff together and your killing this homemaker thing and don’t forget to switch on the scented wax or light the candles!!!

Is this what we do with our spiritual house?

Is this what we do with God?

Is this what we are doing with our “Inner House” are we sweeping, putting everything in order just long enough for God to pop His head in for a visit, we entertain as we are expected to do at the appropriate times, but aren’t we asking Him to please not overstay His welcome because we can’t be the real us and pull everything out of that closet if He is around…. ALL THE TIME!!  You know that “room” no one can go into where all the real stuff of your day-to-day life is, that room that would ruin the appearance of your togetherness. You know the appearance that you are a good Christian Person!!! My point is you can clean every part of your “house” have all your boxes checked, everything in order but until He dwells in your house everyday, lives with you…..sees ya Nasty, everything He has brought you out of can return…sevenfold….worse than the first! This kinda house cleaning can’t be done in 15, it’s an everyday, live your life real, intentional kinda sweeping and putting in order. The dust will settle, the floors will get sticky and that’s OK because its real, its raw and it is who you really are and HE knows already.

My question for you today is………….

Ok, So…. Your “house” is clean, swept and in order but is it really Occupied by the One who matters! Or is it sitting there ready to be moved into by a once cast out vagabond and his restless friends?

 

 

Part 2 to come…… “Waterless places” stumped me for over a year I knew it was significant but couldn’t flesh it out.  I had a moment when so much became clear  after hearing some news on my old friend, this brought “and the last state of the person is worse than the first. So will it be with this evil generation.” into a whole new light and never what I expected the last state to entail!!