My mom is notorious for cleaning the house before the maid comes. I think it’s absolutely crazy. You’re cleaning up for the cleaning lady?!

Of course she has her reasons. And they are pretty valid.

First, she wants to clean the clutter so that the housekeeper can focus on other things. LIke windows and baseboards and the carpeted stairs. Those are hard-to-clean areas and I get it.

I still think it’s odd, though, every time I see her frantically cleaning before the maid arrives.

As silly as it sounds, many of us do this with the Lord.

We want His help with the harder areas but we want to frantically clean up the rest before we go to Him.

That’s not what He wants.

He wants ALL of us… All the dirt, all the grime…

Have you ever had a child try to help with the dishes?

They mean well but you often end up with half-washed dishes, a bigger mess, and dirty dishes now mixed in with the clean ones. I’ll do it myself, you say, but thanks for trying.

That’s where the Lord is. Let ME do it, He says. Thanks for wanting to present yourself clean before Me but I am the one who washes away your sin. Just give it to me.

ALL of it.

Don’t pre-clean. Don’t hold back that one part you would rather clean yourself. Give it all to Him and be made whole.

“Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Matthew 8:2