Clean House

It isn’t any kind of rumor that I allow clutter to well…clutter. I have an amazing ability to set something down and not pick it up again till sometime closer to the Eschaton. I also have developed the ability, through rigorous training mind you, to look past the clutter and sit at my desk to get my work done. For those of you that have seen my office over the past month or so are probably wondering how I can ignore the calamity. I don’t like it. As much as I don’t want to admit it, the ability to clutter is one of my worst attributes (can I get an Amen from my Mom?).

I didn’t say all that to simply point out something that many of you have probably been pointing out for a while. I just wanted to come out and say that I do actually come to a point where I finally look up, see the clutter, and desire to do something about it. I’m at that point now and I think Haggai got me there this past week.

In my last post as we looked into the Minor Prophet Haggai, we found God was a bit upset that His house wasn’t built because everyone was too concerned with everything but Him. The challenge from this is that God wants to sit on the Throne of your Heart but often we try to put the wrong blocks in the wrong holes, things get all messed up and we’ve left Him have left no room to sit. The God’s House image carries on to my clutter problem. Most of you don’t share my clutter problem as far as stuff goes but do you share the problem that most of us have of a cluttered schedule? I would venture to say that we all have a few things that we could cut out to de-clutter our schedules. Think about some things that you could quit for this month in order to de-clutter the Throne Room and put God back in His place in your heart.

The few times I have watched T.V. in the last year I’ve watched the show “Clean House.” I think I enjoyed the show because it made me feel good. I’m not nearly as bad as the people they get to be on this show. Some of the things these people hold on to are unbelievable. They plead, beg, yell, scream, and even from time to time they bribe these people into getting rid of their junk. Five years from now you won’t be missing that bellybutton lint collection…just give it up! At the end…it all works out. The house looks amazing. The turning point in the show is when they make the people get out of the house so they can actually get their work done (insert spiritual metaphor here).

Sometimes we need someone to come in and convince us to get rid of the junk. Not just in our houses or offices but in our schedules. We need to de-clutter all areas of our lives so that God can move back into His house. Summer is a great time to make changes in schedules. Get up thirty minutes earlier and have a cup of beverage of choice with God. Cut out one of your TV shows and go for a walk with God. As a family, go off for quiet time and get together to talk about what you read. Do it for a month and see how your life changes. I wonder if we stepped out of our “house” for a time and let God do His thing…would He help us get rid of our clutter? Let’s clean house!