What I Learned About Life By Cleaning My House Today

Sometimes things seem so overwhelming.

I looked around this afternoon and in every corner of our home, there was a BIG mess.
It doesn't matter how it happened. It just did. And it didn't happen overnight.

It made me want to cry, and it made me want to shout and complain. The HOLIDAYS are coming up. Things are supposed to be SPECIAL and BEAUTIFUL, not messy and dirty.

I couldn't imagine how I would get things under control in the next twelve months, let alone by next week, or tomorrow (Sunday--another day that is supposed to be SPECIAL and BEAUTIFUL).

So how did I handle this dilemma? I was exhausted so I cried out to the Lord for help and took a nap. Not necessarily in that order. I can't remember which--maybe they were simultaneous.

When I woke up, everything looked the same, and I felt the same about it, but I did the only thing one can do in such a situation. I picked up one item and I put it away. Then I picked up another. And another. This went on and on all day. First the coffee table got cleaned up, then the living room floor. Then the worst things in the kitchen got put in the dishwasher. Thankfully, not as much as I expected had to be washed by hand (something I go to great lengths to avoid).

I won't bore you with the rest of the chores. They aren't all done yet. Are they ever? But I can look around my home and smile again.

About three quarters of the way through all of this, something occurred to me. It's not only our homes that can get to be hopeless messes. Our lives can get this way, too. Parts of our lives, or even all of it may seem that way at times.

These things make all the difference:
1. Tell the Lord all about it. "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

2. Rest.

3. Deal with one thing at a time.

4. Don't ever give up--not ever " because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

Are things not right between you and God? Just turn to him now because "if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13

Remember how there wasn't as much to wash by hand as I thought there was? Well, in your life, there probably isn't as much horrible stuff to deal with as you might think, but even if there is, God can handle it. He will do it with you, and some of it he might even take care of for you. (Even when he is doing it with you, he is doing it for you; he's just letting you take part in the process.)

It may not take as long as you think, but even if it does God will give you joy on the journey. Halfway through my Christmas week mess, things began to look brighter, even though there was a lot more to do.

New trials meet us every day, yet "Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."Lamentations 3:22-23

(I don't know why some of the words came out so large. I can't seem to fix it.)

A Tiny Word With Huge Meaning

I almost missed it. This morning I was making note of the words that are used the most in Hebrews 8. I noticed only four (other than articles, conjunctions, and other minor words) that were used more than two times: covenant, priest, Lord, and offer. I couldn't see a major theme shouting out to me as I had in other chapters. Then I saw it in verse 10. Will!

I backtracked and noticed nine "wills" (or "shalls") in all from verses 8-12:

"Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah,
not like the covenant that I made with their fathers
on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.

For they did not continue in my covenant,
and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, declares the Lord:

I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor
and each one his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,'
for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest

For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more."

These verses show us ten wonderful things that God will do:

1. Establish a covenant.
2. Make a covenant.
3. Put his laws into our minds.
4. Write his laws on our hearts.
5. Be our God.
6. Make us his people.
7. Make us understand it is not human teaching (verse 10 and Matthew 16:17)
8. Make us to know him.
9. Be merciful toward our iniquities.
10. Remember our sins no more.

Our relationship with God is based on all these things that he will do for us and in us.

If we want these things, we can ask him to do them, and we can trust that he will!

The House Sleeps

The house sleeps here while
faraway friends fight for a
way home desp'rately.

We rest by still streams
recklessly, but our brothers
find this peace in pain.

"He who dwells in the shadow of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the LORD, 'My refuge and my fortress,
my God in whom I trust.' " Psalms 91:1-2

"Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you are also in the body." Hebrews 13:3