Closet Cleaning

Today was the day…I’m not even sure why…the day to tackle the mess no one sees; drawers, closets, kitchen cabinets. (and I only made it through three rooms) Maybe today I felt like I had enough strength to make decisions like “what in the world do you do with this?” It became quite comical (just ask my family).  I could be heard saying “Oh my goodness, look what I found”.  I found “lost” jewelry and books.  I threw away plastic pieces of something that once was attached to something somewhere that who knows if we will ever need again. (that was a purposeful run-on sentence).  It was hard, and looked like I was making more of a mess than cleaning.  But honestly, it was exhilarating.  There is something honest about a clean closet.  The room can appear “clean” because the closet is private.  It can be closed, easily avoided, conveniently dismissed.  What does it matter, really?  No one sees it.    Doesn’t that sound like what we say about our hearts “hidden junk”?  It can appear pretty good…just don’t open up the closet.  I picture King David facing the closet when he prayed Psalm 51  ¹Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.²Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin….⁶Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.⁷Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow…⁹Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.¹¹Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.¹²Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation….¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise...

Talk about closet cleaning…everything renewed, cleaned and designed with purpose.  That’s what I did today…asked what stays, what goes, what is needful and necessary?  Pretty good closet questions that our hearts need to answer.