Dear Church Family,
At the end of last year, my bedside table was a MESS. My sweet wife didn’t say anything about it, but it had just become a junk pike for all my end of the day “pocket dump” items. During the Christmas visitation, my wife and I agreed to give up our bedroom to our daughter, her husband and our grandson. We moved to the motor home for our sleeping and they had the bedroom.
Well, I couldn’t let my family see my MESS, so I was forced to clean it up. Screws, and tools and empty wrappers, and pocket knives, all had to find a new, (and proper home). Much of the MESS found a new home in the trash can. It was pretty bad!!
After it was cleaned, and ready for guests, I had to admit it looked pretty nice. After all the night stand is nice furniture, and I had forgotten how pretty the wood was on the top, (I couldn’t see the top).
I determined at the beginning of the year, to keep my night stand neat and tidy. My pockets still needed to be emptied at night, but I wanted to keep the clutter off the night stand. I wandered around the house for a few minutes, looking for a solution to my new cleanliness commitment, and came upon a wooden decorative box in my office on a shelf. It was the perfect size for keys, wallet, and, and, all the stuff that comes out of my pockets. I don’t know where the box came from, but it was beautiful, unused, and on top of all that, it had a large cross emblazoned across the top. It was perfect.
I took it to my room, emptied my pockets, and all of the necessary items in my pockets, fit neatly in the box (under the cross). I determined to always fill up the box with necessary keepsakes, and if it doesn’t fit in the box it is unnecessary. My night stand stays so neat now and the cross reminds me every day, to keep my promise.
I wonder if that story relates to other areas of our lives? As we think of commitments we make to God, remember that all of our commitments come “under the cross” and unnecessary things should have no place on the night stand of our heart. And Jesus will help us keep our lives clean and tidy, so that we can be well presented for Him, and for our world.
Blessings,
Dr. j