Spot Mopping

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and the platter, that the outside of them may be clean also." (Matthew 23:25-26).

     Have you ever done what most of us refer to as "spot mopping"?  This is where only the high traffic areas and obvious stains are mopped. Not much effort goes into spot mopping, because some stains can only come up when we get on our hands and knees and scrub. We don't enjoy that.  The chairs aren't moved, the trash can isn't pulled out, nothing is really scrubbed. Spot mopping is ok once in awhile for spills, but if  the only mopping that is ever done is spot mopping, then the floor will never be really and truly clean. If you were to receive an inspection, and things were moved and thoroughly examined, it would reveal that you had not given the proper attention to the hidden corners and making sure they were clean. O, they might look clean, but upon further observation, the truth would come out.

     Now.... have you ever spot mopped your prayer life?  This is where only the obvious stains in our hearts and lives are dealt with. This is a quick prayer and doesn't ask God to truly search the heart. We often don't want to move things out of our lives in order to have a clean heart. We hold on to anger (after all, we feel justified). We don't  get rid of the unforgiveness in our hearts towards someone (because they really did us wrong). We don't want to stop that habit (because we think it is hurting no one but us). On and on we allow things to stay in our lives without dealing with them and removing them. We clean up our outside and the parts of our lives everyone sees. We look righteous, we even talk righteous, but what do the hidden corners of our hearts look like? Would you want anyone to see?  God sees.

"...for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."  (1 Samuel 16:7).

     Jesus called the Pharisees in Matthew 23:25-26, "hypocrites" because they kept their outward appearance looking righteous, but He knew their hearts and attitudes were unrighteous. I would not want Jesus to call me a hypocrite, would you?

     The psalmist, David said in Psalm 139:23-24:     "Search me, O God, and know my heart:  try me, and know my thoughts:  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

     David was giving God permission to search every hidden corner of his heart and life. He wanted everything removed that did not belong there. He didn't want anything swept under the rug, He wanted everything cleaned.  This is what God is looking for today. He wants followers who will give God permission to move, rearrange, get rid of and cleanse everything in our lives. Yes, it will mean changing our attitudes, our habits, our thoughts, our priorities. When we totally surrender to Him and give Him everything, then we can become who He wants us to be. Some stains in our lives can only be removed by getting on our knees and staying there until they are gone. Does God have your heart? Does He have access to the hidden corners? Have you given Him permission to search and cleanse your heart? If not, decide now to make these changes and let God give you a clean heart...truly clean!