Washing The Car

Ahhhhh - today was my day, hooking up the hose, turning the water on, filling the bucket with suds and donning the mitt for washing the car. What utter joy, after a long winter of snow and ice that just would not go away. Ask anyone, most of us have become children again, heralding the arrival of Spring/Summer as we get out the bucket, turn on the faucet, and scrub away Winter's grubby fingerprints. Every year we face the chores with gusto - ready the porches for summer, clean the flower pots, scrub the mildew off the stepping stones and, power wash and perhaps paint that outdoor furniture.

But first - wash the car...

I've seen a lot of muddy cars this Spring. I don't know where they have been - in the country perhaps - in the mountains maybe - or crossing some woodland stream. Maybe they are hunters and the mud has been on there since last November. In any case, they have apparently been in no hurry to wash the mud off. In fact - they wear it dried, sporting a rubbed out circle on the rear window and a dingy front wiperblade swipe to see out of - as if the mud were a badge of honor...

I saw one SUV that had mud all over the top of the car. I would love to know where that car has been.

Now I know I live in a small and historic southern town but the streets are paved. Four interstate highways flow through here so there is no mud in this town. Unless you drive through uncharted countryside - through the woods or through someone's farm, there is no mud for miles and miles around. Perhaps its hidden and only the privileged know where it is...

In any case, you mud lovers need to get over it and give your cars a bubble bath. Put a shine on them and don't forget to clean the inside first - every nook and cranny, front and back, leather treatment, windows windexed, carpets vacumned and dash/shelves cleaned and polished. And don't forget to clean the insides of the doors and the backs of the front seats and the front of the back seat...

That's the way we are cleaned when we are converted and the Holy Spirit gets hold of us. Every layer of mud vanishes with the waters of the Word. We shine on the outside and are made new on the inside. But we are not yet perfect. That will require a lifetime of discipline and resolve. More often than not, we get all clean and shiny - inside and out - and the birds come immediately to bring a load of gifts. (Perhaps they are drawn by the shine...)

(Hmmmm - I don't recall seeing any bird droppings on those muddy cars.)

And what do we do? Well, we either stomp and groan or we get some wet paper towels and wash them off again. That's what happens when birds of prey from Satan come and drop seeds of wickedness into our thoughts or into our circumstances to tempt us and draw us away from the Lord. We can stomp and groan or we can wash it away with the Word. We can pray, we can seek spiritual support, or we can leave the mud on until next Spring...

When we are converted our hearts and our own spirits are flushed by the Holy Spirit with the Blood of Jesus. All our past sins are washed away and God says they are remembered no more. We have been redeemed from the punishment of our sins, and we have been made the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus, but we are by no means redeemed or released from God's eternal commandments and His perfect standard for holiness. If we truly love the Lord, more than we love any other, and in the way He loves us, we will observe and follow His ways, reaching for the holiness that is found only in faithful obedience and selfless devotion.

It means dying to the flesh daily, learning to obey the Spirit within us instead of the world and the flesh. Our minds will need a daily soaping in the car wash - and quite probably our mouths will need it too. We have no idea the things we think, the things we say, and the things we do that are flesh rooted and flesh fed. Thirty to forty years from now it will still be a fight. That's because we live in a world that satisfies its flesh from the cradle to the grave...

Satan had succeeded in tempting and drawing one third of Heaven's angels into rebellion with him. Surely Eve could be tempted - and if so - Adam would follow. It was a tragic moment but we forgave Adam and Eve a long time ago because we have witnessed the drawing power in the wiles of the enemy. And we know Eve would not have stepped into that trap if she had realized that the consequences of her disobedience would take her descendants through hell and death for 6,000 years and counting...

Satan has been ramping up goodies for the flesh ever since. They are always wrapped in silver and ribboned with gold. These goodies, if we accept them, come with a "buy now- pay later" offer. But by the time we find ourselves in deep debt to this soul-snatcher, we can't break out. There is only one hope, found only in Christ Jesus, with the Father's forgiveness of our sin debt, but that too comes with a price.

Our best friends will shun us. Our co-workers will mock us. Our family will persecute us and our steady flow of failures will break our hearts. But that is a good thing - God loves a broken and repentant heart. He knows our weaknesses better than we do. We don't always recognize the seeds of Satan, we don't always know when he has pushed our reckless buttons, but God does, and He will be there through all our trials. He is not only Lord of all our tomorrows, but He is our number one friend, cheering us on to be an overcomer for Jesus.

There will be times we will feel all alone. There will be times we will feel inadequate, worthless and incompetent. We will need to take our eyes off of ourselves and look to Jesus, His abilities and His willingness. Remember His promise to never leave us nor forsake us. There will be times we will feel small and helpless - like a child. That is good. That is where Jesus wants us to be so He can teach us His way the Spirit way...

Then, one day without warning, the bubbles of joy will surface and we will feel like our freshly washed car - a little worn for the wear perhaps, but clean on the inside (the battles were worth it) and shiny on the outside (uh oh - here come the birds)...

Joan Krempel
April 14, 2010
joan@joankrempelministries.com