Spring Cleaning

We have all heard of the phrase, "cleanliness is next to Godliness." While I do not think this is at all true, I must confess something to you:

I am going to do some Spring cleaning tomorrow. EVERYTHING is going to be cleaned. My closets are going to get a good "going-through." I'm sure there will be things thrown out and reorganized. There will be lots of washing, scrubbing, dusting, and vacuuming. And, I'm going to love every minute of it!! I'll be gross and exhausted when it's over, but it will feel so good when it is done!

Here's the big confession, though: When I clean like this, there is some kind of spiritual cleansing that takes place in me as well. Something about rolling up my sleeves and cleaning up all of the grime in my physical life helps me sort through and clean out some of the grime in my spiritual life. Reorganizing gives me a chance to throw out the crud I don't need anymore. This is the stuff that I may be holding on to for sentimental reasons that really don't matter anymore. These things are taking up space that could be used for something much more useful. Cleaning gives me a chance to wipe away the grime from the past and leave things ready for what is to come.

Our spiritual lives need cleaning and reorganizing from time to time as well...probably even more often. Tomorrow while I am ransacking my apartment, my mind and heart will be joining in the Spring cleaning project. Hopefully at the end of tomorrow, even if I feel exhausted, I will feel refreshed, clean, and ready to move forward both physically AND spiritually!

How do you clean up your grime?

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." Ps. 51:7

"First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside will be clean."

Matt. 23:26