Devotional Reading for: 2/5/2007 | Associated Scripture Readings: Luke 10:38-42 Psalm 24 |
Clean | |
The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.” Luke 10:41–42 | |
My house is usually a mess. But when guests are expected, I rush to tidy it up, hoping I can hide the fact that most of the time the place is a disaster and will never truly be clean. I sympathize with Martha, who must have been at her wits’ end trying to ready the house for her Savior. She did what I would do—she cleaned. I try to clean for Jesus too. I work hard to avoid sinful behavior. And when I do wrong, I work hard to correct the error of my ways. My inner Martha scurries about, trying to make me presentable to God. But clean as I might, I just can’t get rid of all the dirt. It is a part of me, my sinful nature rendering me permanently unclean. Jesus commended Mary for letting the cleaning go, for sitting still and listening. He commends her to me also, quieting me in repentance, so that I acknowledge I will never get the house clean on my own. I listen to God speak. Then I hear the one thing necessary: the gentle voice of Jesus telling me that He has taken care of the one thing I most truly need. With His blood, He has scrubbed me clean, truly clean. | |
Dear Jesus, as You sit with forgiveness in my untidy house, help me to listen only to You. Amen. |
I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. Philippians 4:11b
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