This morning I decided to begin. If I do a window or two every day (who am I kidding? every week or month is more like it...) they will eventually get done. The window above has been squirted with windex and is ready to have its former sparkle restored.
As I was rubbing away streaks and dirt, it made me think about the condition of my heart. It gets pretty dirty too- and it's usually gradual and subtle and insidious, just like dirt accumulates on a window. I could watch a window for an hour at a time and not be able to observe an accumulation of dirt. Yet it appears over weeks and months!
Before too long, the eyes of my heart are so cloudy I can no longer see events or people clearly or accurately. The dirty window above lets light in and lets me see the trees and grass, but without the clarity and beauty they should have. People tick me off. How dare she pull out in front of me like that! Why can't they just put those dirty dishes in the dishwasher-- it's right there! Seriously, that stupid dog cost me how much money at the vet?! Well, you get the idea. Pretty soon everything looks dim and sour and stupid.
Isn't that picture weird? I tried out the "Polaroid" option in my Picasa photo-editing program. Interesting. Well, anyway, back to windows. As they are obviously not self-cleaning, I have to make an effort to get them clean again. It's not too hard. Grab a bottle of Windex and some paper towels... and wipe. That's it. And God has made it pretty easy to clean up my heart too. Jesus already did the hard work on the cross. All I need to do is present myself to the Master Cleaner-Upper (some people would rather call him the Savior and Redeemer and I usually do too). I can just show him my streaks and smudges and filth, admitting to Him how they got there. He smiles, and lovingly wipes away every last bit of grime and restores me to renewed purity and clarity.
I John 1:8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
The concept is simple. Confess then receive forgiveness. We tend to make it harder than it has to be, when God has provided for us such a loving and absolute solution for our problem of sin.
I hope you'll offer up the windows of your heart for the cleansing power of Jesus today. It's so worth it to have life's beauty and freshness restored!
Watch this. I don't know anything about the singer or the artwork in this video, but it is an amazing tribute to our Redeemer (Master Cleaner-Upper).
I Know That My Redeemer Lives
