Keeping Clean
by Malcolm Wood
Once, whilst cleaning our car, I thought that a lot of work and effort would be saved if the car always remained in the garage! Although an odd thought, nevertheless it’s true. The car wouldn’t get dirty, and neither would it run up expensive repair and maintenance costs. But for a car to be used for what it is made for, that is the transportation of people, shopping, pets and countless other things from one place to another, it has be out in the real world. That means it is inevitably going to get wet, dirty, scratched, bumped, and dented.
At the time we accepted Jesus as Saviour we weren’t instantly transported to heaven, but we were left in this world for a purpose. The verse above reminds us of what that purpose is. We have been called from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light ‘to declare the praises of him who called us’. We can only really achieve that purpose by being in this world, relating and communicating with others, and demonstrating something of the love and the heart of Father God.
Being in the world inevitably means we’re going to become tainted by the world and affected by its attitudes and systems. Consequently we suffer, spiritually, and sometimes physically, and our spirits receive dirt, scratches, bumps and dents. It happens because of in the spiritual climate we’re in. It’s all part of the price of fulfilling our destiny in the real world.
The good news is:
1) Jesus knows all about the difficulties and challenges we have to face. He said ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33).
2) He has made provision for our cleansing and healing. When we feel dirty, scarred and marred by the world we need to look at the cross, and remember again all that Jesus went through for us and what He achieved there for us.
‘How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!’ (Hebrews 9:14).
‘He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we may die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed’ (1 Peter 2:24).
‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness’ (1 John1:9).
I like to clean my car as regularly as possible. I believe we also need regular times of spiritual cleansing, as we appropriate what Jesus has done for us at Calvary. Yes it was a once and for all sacrifice, but its blessings are still available on a daily basis! After all none of us would be content with just one personal shower or bath in a lifetime would we?
Malcolm Wood and his wife Anna became part of the Ellel family as House Managers at Ellel Grange in 1990. Since then they have been involved with many aspects of the developing Ministry. From 2001 until 2015 they were Directors of Ellel Scotland where they hosted several International Schools and Operation Blairmore and helped pioneer the exciting Creative Inspiration Weeks. They have three sons.
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