Spring Cleaning

Looking around your house, it is easy to become dismayed. The endless amount of chores and needs of a home can oppress the most zealous of do it yourselfer's. Windows need to be washed, rugs need to be steamed, drapes need to be laundered, furniture vacuumed, fixtures dusted, cabinets wiped down, closets cleaned out and chimneys swept. The dust piles up as soon as your turn your back and the laundry mockingly spills over the edge of the basket onto the floor. Daily life can easily be consumed by the demands of a home.

Sometimes our spiritual house can feel like our dwellings. For as necessary as it is to manage our homes, so too we must put forth the effort to keep a well managed body. I confess, I am much better at tending the former over the latter. Yet, if I am to be consistent with my witness, I must apply God's principles to every part of my life. The daily chores necessary to keep a house kept up must also be applied to my body and spiritual walk. All must be met with resolve and commitment. The word "try" needs to be obliterated from our vocabulary. We must simply do.

Ohhhhh...I know this is hard for many of us! Still, we must...must...tend to our temples of flesh and spirits. Focusing on one day or one task at a time seems simple but necessary. Heeding the words of Jesus can help us tackle the mountain of chores:

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own," (Matthew 6:34NIV).

Chambers encourages the believer to "At least once a week examine yourself before God to see if your life is measuring up to the standard he has for you." While some of us are in need of spring cleaning--our homes and bodies--others are in need of cleaning up minds or hearts. Thoughts that muddy the walls of their mind or attitudes which create toxins in the body,need to be addressed. And though every chore will require us to roll up our sleeves and get dirty, the results will not only be fantastic, they will bring glory to God.

However, setting goals is crucial to succeeding. Once goals are in place, daily chores can be compiled to keep us on track. In time these chores will become a habit and soon new patterns of behavior will emerge. We know this...right? Yet, we can limit these principles to certain areas of our lives.

Chambers states; "I must learn to relate everything to the primary goal, maintaining it without interruption. My worth to God publicly is measured by what I really am in my private life."

Pondering this truth awakened something in me this morning. I discovered that I am more willing to do something for God than I am willing to do something for myself. When I look at caring for my home, body or spirit for the sake of myself or others I feel oppressed and tired. Discipline gives way to comfort or doubt.Yet, when I consider my efforts would bring glory to the Lord, I feel a surge of inspiration. Again and again, when I placed God next to the task the vision was lighter, brighter. Placing myself or ______ next to a chore, physically weighed on me.

Jesus knew the weight of the world in ways we will never have to comprehend. Therefore, He beckons us: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light," (Matthew 11:28-30NIV).

Jesus is not talking about resting your body, lives of leisure or becoming a couch potato. On the contrary, the Father is always at work. The yoke is an instrument used in labor: worn by the animal in service. The ox does not wear the yoke while grazing or resting in the pen. Therefore, Jesus is calling us into service with Him. The rest is for our souls not our bodies. When we come under His yoke, we will find the burden is light because Jesus is carrying the weight of the world. We simply attach ourselves to His side in service.

When we do this, the heavy burden of keeping up with needs in our lives, spiritual or physical become inspired and light when we tackle them at the Lord's side. In my own strength I struggle to pull the cart or plow the field. Yet, "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength," (Philippians 4:13NIV). Jesus is the key to victory. Victory of God's will not our will is guaranteed,for when yoked with Christ we are certain to go where He goes and Jesus does not fail.

This truth should indeed inspire us to become zealots in all areas of our lives. For when we are yoked with Jesus, our efforts will produce endless crops for the harvest. Will the season of service and sowing be easy? No. But this question of ease is what causes us to stumble. We fear the struggle, the pain and failure so we put off what must be done. Our focus needs to move from questioning what we will have to endure, to what will be accomplished through our service. For the gain in taking up the yoke of the Lord is immeasurable: the Lord's companionship and strength in service, success, glory to God, blessings and no doubt fruit are only some of the benefits.

Ultimately, when we approach everything as if we are doing it for the Lord, we will find not only a zeal to accomplish the work, a sense of peace will replace the dread once attached to the tasks of life. Imagine the joy that comes from bringing glory to God.

Oswald Chambers ends his devotional with this question worth pondering: "Is my primary goal in life to please Him and to be acceptable to Him, or is it something less, no matter how lofty it may sound?"

Brothers and sisters in Christ, it's time for some spring cleaning...and you know I'm not talking about dust bunnies!