At His Feet

Clean House

Father God, I come before You Lord and I ask that You will take this conversation. I'm not sure what to talk about really, so I don't feel like writing because of it. However, You know what I need to hear and what needs to be said so Father, lead this writing, and speak to our hearts. My God, as You speak, help us to check our hearts and clean it of the things that needs to be cleaned of; help us to be free and stay free from the things that once held us captive. Help us to be good housekeepers, and thank You for Your patience and love that You rain on us daily. Thank You that even though I, for one, mess us daily, You are still patient with me and forgive me of my sins. Thank You for dying on the cross for me, and raising from the dead and bringing me along with You into a new life. God, life is getting dark these days and it makes me sad and scared to walk outside each day, but thank You my Father that You are good and by Your grace, I know my siblings and I will stand firm in You. In Jesus name, amen.

2 Kings, chapter 23. We come across King Josiah in this chapter and he was the man who gave himself completely to God. Over the years, since Solomon's reign, many kings have rose up but majority of them did evil in God's eyes. Some mentioned in the books of kings did horrible stuff (burning kids to false gods or becoming shrine postitutes are only two examples) and then there was a wicked queen to got a godly man framed and killed just so her husband can take that good man's garden. God rose up prophets (The biggest names mentioned here are Elijah and Elisha) but still the people did not listen.

Then came Josiah.

The word that crossed my mind as I read through today's chapter was 'clean house' because that is what Josiah did. He destroyed and defiles all the places of worship to false gods. He cleaned out the land and the temple of everything that the kings before him put in there. The stuff made for baal, Asherah, the stars, the moon, and so on – he had them burned and destroyed.

So I thought that it was a happy ending. That now that a king finally went to God and cleaned out the land of all its wicked practices, then maybe now the people would turn back to God too. I thought that finally, God, the people would stop turning left and right...that since the chains of the past got broken, they could walk in full freedom.

But I forget just how human and lost we humans are and if we don't clean house every day, I too, can end up falling or being chained again.

After Josiah died, his son took the throne, and the cycle of wickedness continued itself. The bible doesn't describe exactly what the son did, only that Josiah's son (Jehoahaz) did what all his other ancestors done: evil in the Lord's (God's) sight. Then when the grandson took charge, again, that cycle continued.

What do we do when we get free from our bondage and we clean up the mess our parents or grandparents made? Because we gave our lives to Christ and follow him and He cleaned us – he cleaned our houses; breaking the chains of sin and death – washing us clean and He's taking the time to reconstruct our homes that were broken. Each day is another day of construction and it's not going to get done until we go home and see our God and Savior face to face.

Until then, we need to be vigilant as Jesus fixes our homes. We need to 'clean house' each day because a lot of things come at us, threatening us.

Look at the story of Nehemiah who God put it on his heart to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall, their enemies tore down. As they built the city and walls back up, they were enemies surrounding them, wanting to hurt them to stop the project, and the people of Jerusalem had to keep an eye out. As they worked, they kept their weapons close, in case they got attack.

That's something I need to do in my own life because all too often I get cozy and warm. I find myself thinking that since I'm free now, then I don't need to keep watch. However, that shows me again and again that even though I am free form fear and hate and worry – I'm still a house in progress. I'm still human and those things could come back if I don't keep watch.

If I don't clean my house each day – the fear and anger and worry and old urges could easily walk in and make themselves at home again.

The cycle could come back...so how do we keep watch?
How, God, do I clean house?

How do I stay close to You, especially in times when all I see are the things trying to get back inside my home?

Stay in the truth of God – read, listen, get it however you can and pray. Talk to God constantly, keeping in relationship with Him – open Your heart to Him and acknowledge him. Then, trust Him. Have faith.

Father God,
Thank You that You shared this with me. Thank You that You are rebuilding our homes and walls and that You protect us on every side. You give us what we need to fight off the things of this world that comes to destroy our faith. Thank You that You give us grace, love, peace, joy, longsuffering, and other stuff to stand firm in these hard times. God, I admit, that I don't understand all of this right now. I'm worried that I may have missed something or wrote something I wasn't supposed to because I don't understand everything right now. It's a fear that weighs on my mind along with what I need to clean inside me and if I can do it. I messed up in obeying before, so I'm worried now, but I pray God that You will take these fears and turn them into faith. I pray Father for Your grace to come into my life and help me to tackle the problems I face and the fears that comes knocking. Father, You are God and my Lord, Jesus, and my savior. I acknowledge You and thank You in advance for what You are doing, will do, and have done in my life. Please bless those who read this and I pray for the same things for them as well. In Jesus name, amen.