Deep Clean
Some people deep clean their home, office or car very often. Some deep clean a couple times a year. Deep Cleaning is a whole new level of clean. It’s one thing to vacuum and dust, it’s a new level when wash the baseboards, window seals and windows. The same is true with my vehicles. Some people appear to “live” in their vehicle, but the amount of food bags and clothes. That would make me a bit crazy. It’s not that hard for me to clean my car as I go. Get the trash out every day. I do like a clean car and a clean home. I’m not so big on deep cleaning very often. When I think of deep cleaning, it reminded me of an episode on Seinfeld when Jerry hires a friend of a friend to clean his apartment, and the guy deep cleaned everything including the dishwasher soap top. To clean all the dried gunk in that takes extra effort.
Isaiah is a prophet of Israel and he speaks out to the behavior of the people. They were rebellious against God’s leadership and their country and their lives were in ruin. Isaiah’s message right at start is to deep clean their hearts. I needed to hear this too. Check this out….
16 Wash yourselves and be clean!
Get your sins out of my sight.
Give up your evil ways.
17 Learn to do good.
Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
Defend the cause of orphans.
Fight for the rights of widows.
18 “Come now, let’s settle this,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
I will make them as white as snow.
Though they are red like crimson,
I will make them as white as wool.(Isaiah 1:16-18 NLT)
Deep cleaning my heart is completed by profound repentance of sin. I need to stop some things like stupid sin and start some things like defense of orphans and fighting for the rights of widows. I was reminded of the “widows” whose husbands are fighting to defend our country. I need to be proactive in support of them while they hold down their home here.
The Lord is speaking here in this passage and He is clear that He wants a heart free from sin. He wants me to recognize my sin and do a deep clean to rid my heart of sin. I’ve got a list of things that need changing in my heart. My heart is prone to wander away from the Lord and wander into sin. I sometimes wonder why it’s so easy to wander. I believe it happens when I let down my guard against the evil one. I need to deep clean my heart today and every day. I can’t do it just once a quarter or twice a year.
Pressing On!
Dwayne