SWHOOOOSSSHHHH.... That would be the sound I hear quite often in my house. Yep, my toilet it seems gets much use in a home with four guys and a little ole me. Not only does it flush when in use, hopefully, but also because it flushes when it is cleaned. I clean clean those toilets all the time because as I said above I have four guys living in the house. Now this might seem strange but God and I have lots of talks while I am around that bowl scrubbing. Don't get me wrong, this isn't the only time God and talk but for some reason I seem to hear him better next to that small white throne. Maybe it is in preparation for the Great White Throne one day!
We have a small group that meets at our house every Friday night, and like most women I feel judged if everything isn't just so. In a week that is often busier than I would like the house and especially the bathrooms can get quite gross. Friday is my dedicated clean day. It is the day of the week that I try not to plan anything, and force myself to stay home. Yes I said force, but I will get to that in a minute.
This last week I had worked longer hours and had taken on some additional responsibilities at work which meant I used additional brain power. So physically I was tired and mentally I was empty. Friday rolled around and I all I wanted to do was go and have fun. Fun for me usually would mean having lunch with a friend or shopping. Even with the temptation of a friend to go lunch I knew I had to clean because of the commitment I made to host our small group. So there I am cleaning most of the morning in my "mad" cleaning mode.
Do you have a mad cleaning mode? My family usually knows when I am irritated by the fast and furious pace at which I clean and by the constant sighing as if I was a martyr. There was no family around; instead I proceeded to put on quite a show for the dogs and God. I made my way to the bathroom and as I started to clean I started to complain. Complaining loudly about how I got stuck doing this and why doesn't anyone help me more. Feeling like I deserved more I sat there and stared at the toilet and yelled, "I hate you, you stupid toilet. Why are you always so gross?" Yes, I realize how this must have looked not only to my dogs but more importantly to my God.
Here I am in a nice house, with a nice job that kept me busier than I wanted but God used to provide. I have cleaning supplies to make my job easier, and in all honesty my family did do more than they usually do to keep the house picked up. Yet here in this moment all I could focus on was.... ME. Me, me, me, me, me... I call that my "flesh" speaking. Romans 8:5, " Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires."
Your flesh is that part of you that doesn't like the things of God. It is what tells you that you don't need to spend time with God, read your bible; it is what tells you that you are better than your neighbor. The flesh we have in our lives is really what hinders us more than anything else in our pursuit of a God-filled life. The Apostle Paul struggled with it and he talks about it in Romans chapter 7 verses 13-24. We all have flesh in our lives that crave to do the exact opposite of what the Spirit of God wants for us.
So I am cleaning this toilet, my flesh is crying out, and what do I hear? The sweet Spirit of God whisper in my heart, "Flush your flesh!" Yes, I needed to send the ugly that comes out of my exactly where the other ugly goes, down the toilet. I was in this position with a toilet brush in my hand because God trusted me! There are a group of people that he is entrusted to us and by providing them a warm and inviting place to meet it blesses them. God gave us this house, should I not use it for his Glory?
I might add that there is also a very practical blessing that happens as well. On Saturday the house is clean and we actually get more family time. So I have the opportunity to serve God, serve my family, and serve others. Isn't that what the Christian life is all about? It makes me more like Jesus, so of course my flesh wouldn't want me sacrifice. I am pretty sure that you will all laugh the next time you clean your toilets at the thought of me yelling at mine. I just pray that you do what I did next: FLUSH THE FLESH~ AWAY!
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