Put It Back Where It Belongs

Recently, Ridley and I came back into town and as we made the late night ride home from the airport, all I could think about was getting in my own bed. I walked in the door of my house and I was greeted by the smell of trash. Then I noticed my kitchen. The counters looked like a giant scrapbook of empty cardboard pizza circles, crumbs, and dirty dishes. There was even a scratch n' sniff section of everything my kids had eaten over the days while we were gone. Well, I did what a tired momma does. I cleaned and grumbled. On this last trip's ride home from the airport, I almost begged Ridley to just let me sleep in the truck in the driveway until morning. I walked in with my nose pinched and one eye shut. My kitchen was clean! The sink was empty, the trash was out and the dishwasher was full of freshly cleaned dishes. I ran to bed with a grateful heart for my kids.

As parents, we have tried to pound it into our kid's head that you put stuff back where it belongs so you only have to touch it once. Letting it sit on the steps as you walk by twelve times, doesn't make it go away. With six of us, we can get in the habit of dump and go. Coupons are swirling due to the ceiling fans, car maintenance receipts hang out on the breakfast bar awaiting the proper glove compartment, and clean clothes collect enough dust to be labeled dirty again. Nothing makes the mom happier than her house being clean and her family helping her keep it that way. I know I feel so less stressed if I can come home to a clean house.

I have been making my mental list of projects for the next couple of days. As I have been doing that, a familiar passage has come to mind. Ephesians 3:17-19 (I love Ephesians). "17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Jesus dwells in our hearts. He knocks on the door of our hearts and enters in when we open and receive Him. He steps into the areas where the garbage of our lives stinks and the walls display many scrapbook worthy scars of hurt, rejection, pain and suffering. He doesn't care. He would still choose to live there as long as we invite Him in. He is not one to bust the door down but He does stand super close, anxiously waiting to hear for the jiggling of the lock on our hearts.

Once He dwells in our hearts, we have a huge responsibility to keep His house clean. It is easy to get in the habit of "dump and go". For me, I know my past can clutter my heart if I let it. I was encouraged the other day when I reread the verse in Isaiah 43:18. It says, "Forget the former things. Do not dwell on the past." I felt so much relief when I noticed the words "do not dwell". I often feel guilty for even thinking about some of the junk of my past, but this verse lets me know that God knew we would think about those things and it is ok at times. The verse says not to dwell on it....not to hang out there too long. Basically, it is ok for us to get it out every now and then, but we need to pick up after ourselves and put it back where it belongs to keep our heart house clean. You see, I think Jesus uses some of the pain of my past to keep me in check to not hurt others. I think He reminds me of feelings of rejection so that it makes it easier for me to love the unlovable. I believe God can use our junk for good, but if He lives in our hearts, we have to put things back where they belong and only get them out when He sees fit. A clean heart can allow peace to flow, the stress to fade, and the glory of God to be shiny clean for the world to see!