Spring Cleaning of the Heart (5/19/14)

As the weather warms up, it is time to begin the chores of spring cleaning. I have been tackling things piecemeal for the last two months. One of the dreaded chores was cleaning a sliding glass door that leads from our kitchen into the backyard. Over the long, cold months of winter, I could only clean the inside of the door. There were so many dog licks and paw prints that I could hardly tell if I was even getting that side clean. Any attempts at cleaning the outside of the door were thwarted by the cold weather. Cleaning supplies would freeze on the glass before they could be wiped up and have any positive effect.

During those long months, a great amount of grime from rain, snow and mud built up on that door. By that nice sunny day when I tackled this task, my work was cut out for me. Armed with a heavy-duty cleaner for the doorframe, glass cleaner for the window and plenty of paper towels I attacked the project. I started with the doorframe and was pleased that only minimal scrubbing was required. I then picked up the cleaner and liberally sprayed down the entire glass from top to bottom. As a set the bottle down I realized it had not been the glass cleaner. I had again picked up the heavy-duty cleaning solution. Wiping the cleaner from the glass, I found the dirt and grime was coming up with ease. Unfortunately, what was left behind was a cloudy, streaky film. It was extremely difficult to even see through the window and into the kitchen. I sprayed the glass down again with the glass cleaner. After two wipe downs, it was remarkably clean. It was now easy to see and clean the prints on the inside of the door.    

Our hearts can be very much like that door. Just as the door is functional and necessary for going in and out, our lives have great purpose. Periodic cleaning of our hearts, the center of our lives, is also necessary. Sometimes I believe we focus more on certain areas than others. Just as I clean the inside of the door all winter long, we may have areas of our hearts that we keep open and in tune with God. These can be areas like praise or staying away from certain bad habits that were part of our past.  Each of us has areas of the heart that we keep clean before the Lord.

Then comes the day the Lord desires to tackle an area of life that we have avoided looking at. It may be a wrong attitude, forgiveness or anything else that hinders our relationship with God. This will take a little bit more work than a quick touch up.  We must desire to be cleaned up. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.”  (Psalm 51:10 AMP) God will do the work when we come to Him.  “Let us all come forward and draw near with true (honest and sincere) hearts in unqualified assurance and absolute conviction engendered by faith (by that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), having our hearts sprinkled and purified from a guilty (evil) conscience and our bodies cleansed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:22 AMP)

When my husband came home that night, he thought that I had left sliding door open. We had become used to the paw prints, lick marks and grimy build-up. To see the door as it truly appears, was surprising and wonderful. Now we see through the glass to the yard beyond. 

During the cleaning up process, our lives things may temporarily appear to get a bit cloudy. For a time we may even seem to be going backwards in out walk with God.  But we don’t stop while we are works in progress. “And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.” (Philippians 1:6 AMP) We can become that beautiful door that shows clearly through to the God side. 

I have since cleaned the door as I notice the evidence of doggies on the glass.  The process is much easier and takes very little time.  Touch ups will also be required regularly in our hearts.  They will also be easier and faster when we pay attention to minor evidence of the old ways creeping back into our lives. 

Whatever stage of cleaning your life is in, allow God to do His perfect work. And remember, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11a AMP) “Everything” includes you. And you will have the beautiful light of Christ shining through you.

(It is again time to clean that patio door window and to take a closer look at my own heart and what God is currently doing in me.)