Clean Out and Clean Up Time
Accidentally, I threw a towel into my wash with my black slacks. Oops! Hello Lint! You know. Those little fibers from that towel were all over those pants. I proceeded to pull out my trusty, sticky lint remover roller to remove all those tiny balls of lint.
Because I was so passionate about what is going on in Ukraine yesterday, I superseded my blog about LENT with the urgency for our prayers for our Ukraine brothers and sisters. It turned out to be an awesome way of turning from thinking about my needs and wants to others. Isn’t that our Lord’s way? He always put others before His needs and wants.
That blog was yesterday morning, before I dove into Ash Wednesday. It was an intentional day for me to attend a Lenten service and receive ashes on my forehead in the shape of a cross. This is a somber, heartfelt time of recognizing, with Job from the Old Testament, our need to clean out and clean up our acts. Seems implausible to do that with the use of “dust and ashes” instead of Ivory Soap, but it sure is an indelible way of desiring to being squeaky clean in our hearts. This beautiful season of Lent affords us the opportunity of deep reflection, introspection and prayer….to get it right. To get us right.
Back to the lint on my black slacks and using the lint roller to remove all that lint. Actually, “Lent” and “lint” sort of mean the same thing. It’s taking the time to “come clean” — to rid ourselves of the funk and junk that has settled in our hearts. You better believe if I knew Jesus was coming to my house today, I’d make sure it was “spic and span”! And, He does make His residence in us, so shouldn’t we be sure that our hearts and minds are “swept clean” for His place of residence?
Lent is a time to open the doors of our hearts a little wider and understand our Lord a little deeper, so that when Good Friday and eventually, Easter comes, it is not just another day at church, but an opportunity to receive the overflowing graces God has to offer. Lent gives us the opportunity to contemplate what our Lord really did for us on the cross — and it wasn’t pretty. Aw! But, come Sunday, it’s all about our laser focus on Christ’s resurrection……that gave us hope for living in His abundant life.
Typically, our thoughts are more on what our next meal will be, or the next TV show to watch, or the next assignment we’ll be on to, or our plans for the weekend. Many times, we simply go about our routines without ever giving God a second thought. So, what if, for the next 40 days, we made a few changes to our routine — taking bites of time to dig deeper, pray more, be kinder to those around us, maybe take a walk to bask in God and His creation — just to get closer to Him in our thoughts and actions.
Perhaps as we acknowledge the little things that sometimes distract us from God, we could become more aware of the weight of His sacrifice for us. Then this Easter will be a REAL resurrection to celebrate — the resurrection from our OLD selves to our NEW selves in Him. Indeed this quest is to clean up, measure up and live up to the ONE Who gave His all for you and me! And, if I need to skip a meal, set aside time for prayer and a roto-rooter clean-out, give extra love and attention to a friend OR foe in need…..then, speak Lord……I am at your beckoned call!