There are these two remarkable women in my life whom I admire as I marvel at how they can keep such a lovely, ordered home. Hard as I try, I cannot achieve, let alone maintain, one. There is dirt and dust and disrepair everywhere, even before puppies. I can barely manage the clutter alone. True, complete cleaning seems unachievable for me. I have to put up boundaries to avoid getting lost in the minutiae because there is always more to clean.
And the messiness extends beyond my physical house. My body is a mess, unpredictable and difficult at times. Headaches, pains, GI spontaneity at the most inconvenient times.
My mind is a close third of a mess. Messy relationships, grief, the unrelenting, erratic complications of being and the compounding cluttering of my state of mind…
Thank God I am not left alone in this disarray of a life. My God is a God Who chose this messiness so He could walk alongside me in mine; so that He could redeem my mess and turn it into His beauty.
My life mimics His work. I’m unable to clean myself enough, like my house, but He does not require me to succeed in that. He only asks me to believe that He can. I am clean the moment I believe Jesus. Once I believe, He tidies up my life one erratic complication of being at a time, creating beauty in me.
Like He told Peter in John 13:10, “Those who have had a bath need only wash their feet; their whole body is clean.”
My earthly house will never be as clean as I might want, but my life is being renewed with each cry of my heart for His provision. He promises beauty will emerge from this mess and He always keeps His promises. Thank God!
Anne/JCIM
April, 2024
8 Jesus answered, ” unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9 ” Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well.” 10 Jesus answered,” those who have had a bath need only wash their feet; their whole body is clean.”
John 13:8-10
Tripping with God: Stories of Faith and Inspiration 