Deep Cleaning

I was watching a show the other day while folding laundry. It was a comedy sitcom full of funny little lines. One of those funny little lines really struck me. 

The son in the family was given a chore to clean the bathroom. He was a thorough individual so he googled a youtube video on "how to clean a bathroom" and followed the instructions to perfection. He realized that much of the grime and mold between the shower tiles needed more attention and in the process he ultimately de-tiled the entire shower to tackle the filth underneath. When the mom walked in she was livid. She saw a bare wall and tiles all over the ground and exclaimed, "What have you done?!?!?! I ONLY asked you to clean the bathroom! We are not a "DEEP CLEAN" family  we are a "SUPERFICIAL CLEAN" family. It is the filth and the grime that holds this whole place together! Without it we would fall apart!"

The statement made me laugh. Then, it made me think. 

There is no question our family is a mess. So is yours, by the way. 

We have so many issues, and flaws, and filth and grime. Sometimes you can see it easily and sometimes it hidden behind tiles. Unlike the mom in the sitcom I really want to get all those parts clean and it starts with me. 

Ironically when I look around my house or others people's homes, I don't see physical messes. I really don't. I think God gave me blinders to the deep dirtiness that accumulates in a house because He knew I would not be able to live my life in peace if I could see it all. (I sympathize for those of you who can see the deep dirt and grime.) I have always been perfectly happy with a "picked up" home- a superficially-clean dwelling. But then.....a cleaning lady came. Her profession is to deep clean houses and she is good at it. She and her partner spend 4 hours in my house and the house is amazingly clean when they leave. I can't even tell exactly what they did (remember, I can't see these things) but it looks and feels and smells great!

Did you know God is a professional cleaner? I invited him to live in my heart when I was a young girl and I often let His home get filthy. I have had moments when I have felt like I was all cleaned up but ultimately, on my own, I don't even see all the filth. Yet, he promises in 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I need a good cleaning and I am not capable of doing it on my own. Lord, please forgive me of my sins and purify my heart. I don't want to be superficially clean. I want to be deeply clean and be a proper dwelling place for you. Amen.

I am hoping as this mama's heart undergoes some deep cleaning that it will pour out blessings on our entire household. I don't imagine it will do much for the physical state of our house but I will continue to be exceedingly grateful that God has provided the resources for my sweet cleaning lady to come each month and do her thing.

P.S. We had some family pictures taken. I love my filthy crew! We clean up pretty well (superficially)!