April Devotion: Spring Clean-Up

Spring Clean Up for the Heart and Soul
"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and
renew a right spirit within me."   Psalm 51:10

"I beseech you, therefore brethren, by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable
unto God, which is your reasonable service."   Romans 12:1

As spring approaches we develop that urge to make everything in our house clean and in order. The winter months have been long and we begin itching to revive our houses and acquire that freshness that we want to invade us as the first signs of spring arrive. Everything outside is singing with new life. The buds are coming out on the trees, birds are chirping, and the daffodils are beginning to bloom. We long to bring that newness into our homes so we begin, most of us by turning our homes upside down as we clean out closets, take things apart, clean and scour. We reach into every dark corner of our homes in order to make it presentable, fresh, and new.

Sometimes we need to do the same thing with our spiritual houses. We need to take stock and clean up and give them a good strong scrubbing. All of us grow stale sometimes and need a spiritual freshening up. Remember as Christians, Who is living in our spiritual houses. The Bible says, "What know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost..." I Corinthians 6:19.

Things always get tucked back in the recesses of our spiritual closets that aren't needed. We accumulate grime and dirt on our spiritual floors and walls. From time to time we need to turn our spiritual homes upside down and clean them inside and out in order to present our bodies "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God." as it says in Romans 12:1. Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work!

1.   Evaluate.
What needs done in order to clean up our spiritual homes? Only you know the areas that need worked on in your own individual life. What needs to be improved? Evaluate everything you do and say and think. Is it pleasing to the Lord?

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus..." Colossians. 3:17

2.   Get rid of junk.
Are there things in your life that are just junk and cluttering up your life? Are there things getting in your way of serving Christ to your greatest potential? Are things like worry, anger, gossip, and bad habits cluttering up your life? If it's something you should keep in your life it will pass the following guidelines of Philippians 4:8.

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

3.   Gather cleaning tools.
When you clean your house you gather together your cleaning tools, such as scrub brushes, mops, and brooms. All you need to clean your spiritual house is one thing - the Word of God. It is your all-purpose cleaning tool and contains everything you'll need.

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

4.   Gather cleaners.
Cleaning our homes usually takes all kinds of cleaners--window cleaners, waxes, floor cleaners, bleaches, and disinfectants. When it comes to cleaning our spiritual house, all we need is one all-purpose cleaning agent - the forgiveness of God. It is guaranteed to cleanse all grime and dirt, which embodies itself as sinbuildup.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

5.   Get to work!
If we gathered all of our cleaning tools and supplies to clean our homes, and even if we had evaluated what work needed to be done and did nothing it would not help us. We have to use the supplies and actually do some work! The same is true with our spiritual homes. God gives us His Word and His precious forgiveness but we have to use them to keep our lives clean.

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Psalm 119:11

6.   Determine to keep it clean.
Usually when we finish cleaning our own homes, we look around and say that we'll never let the clutter pile up that high again and we determine not to let it. We should do the same for our spiritual house. Determine not to let it get dirty again. The only way to accomplish this is to keep it up daily by feasting on God's Word and being sensitive to the Holy Spirit to work in our lives.

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." Galatians 5:16

I trust you are caught up on your spring cleaning!

Inspirational Thoughts Adapted From: Julia Bettencourt
Also see her suggesions on spring party favorites

such as: door prizes: gift baskets: games etc...

Image Credit: PennyParker