Clean up time.

Christmas has come and gone, and perhaps, like me, you're still finding cookie crumbs, remnants of wrapping paper, and a refrigerator filled with leftovers that need to be tossed. These kinds of things stir about in me a wild desire to clean up and clean out everything nonessential. Spring cleaning is never bound to a certain time of year in my home and actually happens on several occasions throughout the year...Cleaning can be refreshing. It gives some room to move and breathe more freely. It rids the space of the things of old that we've clung to even if they are broken, stained, torn, worthless, and drag us down...

While thinking through my post Christmas clean-up plan, I thought about the innkeeper in Bethlehem. You know, the one that had no room for Jesus. The one that sent them to the barn out back for His birth. I'd bet that hindsight had him wishing he had done some rethinking with what or who he had filled his home with that year. Perhaps, a better use of space would have left him open to host the birth of our Lord and Savior. What a privilege that would have been!

Cleaning up, especially if I have a friend helping, can be sometimes humiliating... those hidden cobwebs and dust bunnies take center stage. But God, already sees our filth tucked away in the corners. There's no reason to not bring it before Him and ask Him to help you with it. In fact, bringing in a trustworthy friend to pray with you and encourage you in Truth is not off limits either.

So maybe, just maybe, this week as you too cleanup or clean out your home from the festivities.. You'll give some thought to your heart. When our thoughts tend to set on New Year's Eve parties and New Year's resolutions, maybe we could be more intent on setting our thoughts on the clutter of our hearts and minds. But not just thinking about it, but truly bringing our mess to the Lord. He is a God of order. He has this way of showing us how we've inadequately filled our hearts and minds in ways He never intended. He probably has a better use of that space that would give us some room to breathe and move more freely in Him! David said it like this, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."Psalm 51:10-19 As we read the cry of David's heart, we see Him asking God for cleansing, renewal, restoration of joy, and deliverance. These things are the handiwork of our Lord alone. Will you join me in a little heart housecleaning this week? What if we started 2019 with all of those things...clean? Renewed? Restored? Joyful? Delivered? I don't know about you, but I'm in!

I pray that as you sit with Jesus today with pen and paper in hand that you would hear His gentle voice walk you through your own post Christmas clean-up plan of your heart making room for things only He knows He has for you in 2019. May you approach Him with a humble and contrite heart and be willing to let go of those things He says its time to release. Perhaps, you'll learn of unforgiveness, resentment, bitterness, envy, covetousness, idolatry, or lust you were ignoring or had not named it for what it was. He has a better plan, my friend. Trust Him to replace those things with contentment, thanksgiving, peace, joy, mercy, love, grace, forgiveness, and Himself!

Here's to starting 2019 cleaned and renewed with room to offer the Lord!

He is so faithful!!

Worship Him Alone!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVVlMQved8k You Know Me, Stephanie Gretzinger

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Psalm 51:10-19 King James Version (KJV)

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

Psalm 139

1 You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. 5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 17How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you. 19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked! Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! 20They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name. 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? 22 I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.