“So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk.
You’ve had a taste of God. Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God’s pure kindness. Then you’ll grow up mature and whole in God.”
1 Peter 2:1-3 MSG
There’s something inviting, warm and refreshing when entering a clean house, a clean hotel room…a clean public bathroom. How did it get that way? Someone rolled up their sleeves, put some muscle into it and cleaned it. A house, a room, a public restroom…well, they don’t clean themselves. It takes constant work to combat the dust, cobwebs, dirt and everyday grime.
Plus, if you really want clean, you need to do the whole job. You wouldn’t clean the kitchen cupboards, mop the floor, wash down the refrigerator and stove, then leave your sink piled high with dirty dishes. That would defeat your goal of “clean.”
However, many of us do just that with our personal lives. We dust a little here, mop a little there and fail to do a deep cleaning. The outside appearance may look acceptable, but after awhile, the stench from something rotten underneath the exterior permeates the atmosphere. Everywhere you go, it goes with you. And your “fragrance” with others is anything but inviting.
“But I’ve dusted. I’ve mopped. I’ve cleaned.” But you didn’t do the clean sweep…the whole job. And the deep down odor of decay will soon envelope the so-called tidiness of your life.
The Apostle Peter reminds us to “make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk.” All of it needs to go out with the trash.
All of it!
Your grudges, bitterness and meanness need to be scoured with the bleach of God’s Word.
Your deception, charades and excuses need to be obliterated with the Clorox of God’s Word.
Your lusting, jealousy and hatred must be oxidized by God’s Word.
Your spiteful talk needs to be whitewashed by God’s Word.
“You’ve had a taste of God…now drink deep of God’s pure kindness.”
His Word goes deep. That deep cleaning. And as He cleans, you allow Him to get into the dark corners and the cobweb filled ceilings with His penetrating lovingkindness that brings you to your knees. That is refreshment to the full!
Nothing like being cleaned by the Master Cleaner. Wherever needed. No cover-ups. No half-way job. You have latched on tightly to God’s kindness and there’s no stopping the cleaning process now. You are growing up in your maturity in God. A refreshing way to live!!
