House Reflections: Filth

I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys.
I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive.
I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together,

that they may see and know,
may consider and understand together, that the hand of the LORD has done this,
the Holy One of Israel has created it.
Isaiah 41:18-20

 

For the LORD comforts Zion; He comforts all her waste places
and makes her wilderness like Eden,
her desert like the garden of the LORD;
joy and gladness will be found in her,
thanksgiving and the voice of song.

Isaiah 51:3

 

We have all become like one who is unclean,
  and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.

We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
Isaiah 64:6

I think its an understatement to say that our house was filthy. Seriously, the house has been inhabited by men as a bachelor home for the majority of its existance, how often do you think they cleaned?!?! I'm convinced that some of the grime I cleaned was at least 30 years old!

One weekend when we were working on the house, our friend's son, David, 4 year old, came over to see the construction/tools and such.  Later that evening he said, "Daddy, are we going back to the dirty house?"

Yes, the dirty house. Our dirty house. Our dirty house that by God's grace it is becoming clean! It will never be as clean as I would like it since it was made in the 1970's but its neat to see it coming together.

One key lesson through this process is to realize that our God is a redeemer. He loves to bring beauty out of mess. It is His very nature to rescue, set free, and restore. I love these passages from Isaiah speaking of the Lord's transforming power to bring forth beauty.

And this is exactly what He has done in our hearts, right?! Took what was so utterly broken, beyond repair, hopeless, and by His grace and the POWER of His Spirit He has brought freedom, beauty, joy, and renewal. Like beautiful trees and abundant water in the desert. New life, a fresh start, the ability to live fully, to flourish, in the very purpose of our creation, to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

As we have worked on the house, it has been a very tangible reminder to us of this spiritual reality in our hearts. When we first saw all the destruction in the house while Mark was still living there and even after He had finally moved out, it seemed completely hopeless. We were overwhelmed and felt trapped.  We knew it would take a miracle for anything good to come from this house and we know that Jesus Christ has restored our home, His hand has done it. He has made it beautiful, He has brought the renewal. Why? So that this house might be used to bring Him Glory. Why? So that He might use this trial in our lives to sanctify us that we might bring Him Glory as He makes us new.
Nobody wants to inhabit filth. The same is true with the Lord. He hates sin and will not dwell in our hearts when they are full of sin. Thats what it means to grieve the Holy Spirit. But how wonderful that this is the same Spirit that CLEANSES US so that He can dwell with us through His Son who is completely clean! He is washing us, His Bride, with the water of the word to present us to Himself as a radient chruch, without spot or any other blemish! (Eph. 5) Why? So that He might dwell amongst His people and inhabit the temple of our hearts.  And this brings Him delight.

Even when we are at our best, ALL our righteous deeds are but filthy garmets before a perfect and holy, and everlasting God. This house is temporary, it will be burnt up, it will not last. It will decay and continue to have problems as things fall apart. But PRAISE BE TO JESUS that the Holy Spirit will continue to make us new for all eternity, despite our own filth.

Jesus Christ does not give up on His Bride.  There were several times when I was cleaning that I just gave up.  It was too hard, too much and I was angry that I was the one to have to do this dirty work. In fact, it wasnt my mess, right? But in that moment, as I threw down the scrub brush, said things I shouldn't and stomped out of the bathroom, the Lord reminded me of the patient lovingkindness He has had towards me. The Lord did not give up on me when He reached the very ugliest, dirty parts of my heart. He cleansed me. He didn't have to. Afterall, it wasn't his mess. He chose to and it brings the Father great joy for His children to be clean.

The thought flashed into my mind of Karis. I clean her messes all day. I suppose I don't have to. Its not my mess. But I want my daughter to be clean. How much greater is the heart of our Heavenly Father!

Jesus humbled himself and washed/cleaned the feet of His disciples as an example to us. It was surprising to them to think that the Lord would humble Himself to the form of a servent. And this was the very thing the Lord was calling me to do as I scrubbed on my hands and knees that grime and nastiness, the mess that I had not made but that God was using to teach me to be more like Jesus.

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:3-8

The Lord taught me alot in this bathroom!