Last night we were visiting my sister in law and family. My kids were playing down stairs and had been having a wonderful time, judging from the duplo blocks scattered over the entire floor. I asked my son to pick up the toys and playfully added, "before Uncle Trevor sees this mess!" I was just kidding, but you should have seen him work in double time, and he cleaned everything up with no complaint! I was a bit flabbergasted, because not even hours earlier I had made a similar request of him regarding his own blocks in his own room. Even after repeated requests and even an offer to help nothing was where it should be. How frustrating. I shook it off thinking he just needs some help, so I ended up doing most of the work and nagging him the entire time (hmmm this makes me think of the Bernstein Bears and the Messy Room). It should be mentioned here that Dade is not afraid of Uncle Trevor, he was not scared of any terrible repercussions if Trevor caught him in his mess. Dade loves Uncle Trevor and respects him and did not want to leave a mess in his living room.
This whole story got me thinking about my heart. I have some pretty big messes in there, and at times I go to town making new ones. I often hear/feel the promptings of the Holy Spirit to get things cleaned up. God's spirit prompts me to open up to some one, or be silent other times, or get on my knees and pray, or sing a song of praise, but I often ignore the promptings and wallow in my messy heart. I dwell on past hurts, I rehash arguments thinking about what I should have said, or what I'll say next time, I gloat about good combacks, or cry about unfair situations. It is often not until I read about the people in the Old Testament and consider who God my Father really is that I am able to get past my spiritual childishness and stubbornness, and start getting things cleaned up! I want my heart to be clean and inviting for my Lord and Savior to dwell in. I know that he accepts me and loves me as I am, and it is only by his power that my heart can be spotless. I want to show respect and love to him because he is so good to me, and that is an amazing motivator for me to examine my heart and ask God to show me if there is any wicked way in me. I often don't want to be sensitive to the prompting of God's Spirit in me because it takes time and effort, but when I think about my mighty, all powerful, all knowing, God who is worthy to be praised I realize it is worth the effort and takes less time than wallowing in my mess.
It's the things that are often the most work that are the the most worthwhile, hey? All relationships take work, especially one with Jesus. We just keep resisting work. But I guess the rest will come when the work is done.
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