This morning I cleaned my stove. You know, took out the burners and the drip pans and cleaned all the accumulated gunk. Most of it wiped up easily, but a few spots took a little elbow grease and some steel wool pads. Before long, the stove looked shiny and (nearly) new.
As I worked, my mind meandered, as it tends to do. I thought about all those meals I’d cooked on this stove. Would you believe it? Twenty-seven years’ worth of meals. That’s a lot of years and a lot of meals. Any botched meals were the fault of the cook, not the stove. It endured boil-overs, splatters, occasional burned food, and spills on the burners.
As my mind wandered, I couldn’t help but compare myself to that stove. Twenty-seven is pretty ancient for a stove. Now I don’t consider myself ancient, but I am retired, and I am on Medicare. Even though I don’t like the title, I am officially classified as elderly.
In all my years, I’ve botched so many things, said or done the wrong thing to the wrong person. I have boiled over in anger, regretting words that came out of my mouth. Over the years, there have been countless occasions where I’ve just made a mess of things. I haven’t followed God’s recipe for my life. I’ve been spiritually careless and taken things and people for granted.
I am so grateful that God is always willing to clean up my messes. No matter what I have said or done, or how often I have ignored his suggestions, he is willing to forgive. Even when I make a huge mess, He helps me clean it up, He forgives and offers me grace. He opens my eyes to truth and wisdom in His word, and he shows me a better way.
Are you ready to ask Him to help you clean up your messes and offer you grace?
Growing Our Faith Together 