Justin Tucker, LHC Worship Pastor
Luke 8:16-17
“No one, after lighting a lamp, covers it with a basket or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in may see its light. For nothing is concealed that won’t be revealed, and nothing hidden that won’t be made known and brought to light.
How do you prepare for visitors at your house? Do you vacuum and dust? Do you pick up the clutter that happens on a daily basis? Do you actually put laundry away, clean the bathroom, and light candles? That’s what we do at our house when we’re expecting company. Anything that anyone might see (or judge us on) gets cleaned up or put away. We light candles and try to make the house smell good. We do everything that we can to put up the facade that we have it all together.
But is the house really clean? Did we lift up the couch and vacuum under it? Did we even bother to pull the cushions? Scary, right? Did we move the refrigerator or range to sweep and mop from under and behind them? Did we change the air filters? These are questions that I ask myself when I read Colossians chapter 3. In verses 5-17, Paul tells us what the Christian life looks like to the outside world. It shows us how we interact with both believers and non-believers. In verses 18 through the end of the chapter, Paul tells us how to put Christ at the center of our homes and our families.
So why do I ask all those questions? I ask them because if the outside of my home looks clean but if the insides and the foundation are full of rot, my house isn’t very healthy at all. A lot of the time it seems like we have just upgraded from what kids do when they get told to go and clean their rooms…everything is off the floor but don’t look under the bed or in the closet. I actually remember a time that Ruby Jo told me that her room was clean but that I wasn’t allowed to go in the bonus room. Can you guess what happened there? For us to have healthy homes and healthy lives, we have to shine light into the dark and we have to clean out the places that other people don’t see. Let’s make sure that our homes and our families have good bones.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord, help the outside of my house be as clean as the inside. Show me where my clutter is under the couch and beds. Teach me to shine light into those places. Lord it is my heart and my prayer to be like Joshua and say that as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. God, you are good and you are gracious. Thank you for the gift of Jesus and it is in His name I pray, amen.
MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK:
Philippians 2:3: 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.