Swish. Squish. Splash. Labels: devotions
"Noah! What are you doing?" Swish, squish and splash sounds can generally be attributed to Noah.
I follow the swishing to the bathroom.
I open the door, just in time to see Noah's favorite shirt-(green t-shirt hand made by his aunt Missie; ) a soggy, soaked mess, landing on the carpet in front of the toilet. He is standing in front of the toilet with a guilty, yet proud of himself look on his face.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I gently ask my sweet son. (gently? not so much as you can see by my cunning use of CAPS;)
"Washing my shirt. So I can wear it." He seems not quite sure what my problem is.
"IN THE TOILET? THAT'S DISGUSTING." I, not so calmly reply.
After a long soak in a hot tubby full of bubbles, the boy is now clean. I throw in another load of laundry, (he apparently must wear his favorite shirt)and douse the toilet with bleach-in case of further experimentation (a preventative measure- in my mind at least) and things are back to normal.
All afternoon I wondered, "What was he thinking? regardless of research to the contrary, toilets are dirty! There is no way you can clean something in the toilet, you need to use a washing machine!"
Then it hit me, I try to do it all the time. Not in the bathroom, but in my life.
Sometimes, I think I stand before God, with a somewhat guilty, but slightly proud look on my face, holding up my self-righteousness like a dirty favorite shirt I've rinsed out in the toilet. My own efforts to "clean up my act" must seem to Him, like the swish, splash, squish of toilet water.
Why do I do it? I'm not sure- maybe I want to wear my favorite shirt. Maybe I want to play in the toilet. Maybe, I want to do things "all by myself", much like a child. Maybe I'm to small to use the washer.
Maybe - it's not my job. It wasn't Noah's- I'm in charge of laundry.
When it comes to cleaning up my personal laundry- changing me- into what God has planned for me- it's not my job either- it's His. I have to cooperate, not start scrubbing my own laundry in the toilet.
Roman's 9 30-33
"What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
Isaiah 64:6 (read the rest of it-;)
"All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away."
Phillipians 1:6
...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus
Dear Lord- I pray that I'd let you do my spiritual laundry. Lord- complete the work you've started in me- and God- keep me out of the toilet. It's rather gross. I love you Lord- amen.
