Elizabeth and I have been host to numerous guests the past couple weeks since baby Grace was born. It’s been tough keeping our home tidy at times even though we both try and keep up. Just a few days ago, I wondered as I was clearing the kitchen table “How did everything get so dirty so fast? Everything was spotless only a couple days ago!”
It suddenly came to me that cleaning is a way of life, not an event.
I would love to clean once and have it stay that way forever. But dirt doesn’t surrender that easily. Speck by speck, the dust returns. Piece by piece, the clutter piles up.
Sin is like the dust and clutter in our homes. Of course we all want to eliminate all of it with one prayer of confession and repentance. But sin doesn’t surrender that easily.
Thought by thought, bad attitudes return. Choice by choice, unpleasant consequences pile up.
The apostle Paul told the believers in Colosse to get rid of “anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language” (Colossians 3:8). And he told the church at Ephesus, “Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath” (Ephesians 4:26).
Christ’s death and resurrection eliminated the need for daily sacrifice. But confession and repentance are still essential to the Christian’s daily life.
Getting rid of such things as anger, rage, and malice is a way of life, not a one-time event. Make a point to pray each day and surrender your sins to God then build upon them, letting God guide you to become more like Jesus one step at a time.
Doing this will make for a more purpose driven life and eventually, it will become a way of life. Let’s pray for God’s strength in keeping up with daily effort!
Father God;
We thank you for your blessings in our lives
For your unconditional love, your forgiveness
And for your strength.
We thank you for looking after us, our families and friends
And for answering the prayers of those in need,
We pray you will continue to bless our lives
And provide all we need to fulfill your mission for us.
Lord we ask that you keep guiding our footsteps
Each and every day,
So that we may become more like you.
God we love you and thank you for all that surrounds us!
Praise God,
Amen!
This message was written by Daniel St.Pierre
Email: DanielStPierre@ThriveThroughChrist.com
