Tuesday, June 26, 2012


Total “Body” Cleanse


For several weeks my house has been bugging me.  I got behind on the laundry, which put me behind on vacuuming, which put me behind on the bathrooms, etc, etc, etc!  I felt frustrated and angry about the way my house was looking.  It felt like a giant snow-ball that was unstoppable!  Then I realized that all my anger, frustration, and sense of hopelessness were really my own doing.  So this morning I had  had enough. I rolled up my sleeves and did a top to bottom house cleaning.  Laundry, bathrooms, floors, all done!  I even cleaned out the coffee-pot, the fridge, and kitchen cabinets.  Now I sit in my living room for my “quiet-time” and feel at peace.  It is finished!  As always, the Lord used the physical to teach me a spiritual lesson.

When our literal homes are in upheaval, it affects us emotionally. It’s the same with our physical body.  When our body is polluted on the inside we also feel sick, sluggish, depressed, etc.  Our physical body becomes polluted when our diet consists of fast-food, processed foods, sodas, chips, candy and so on.  The inside becomes a sticky mess.  If this is the case then it’s time to “clean house”!  The only way to clean the body properly is to eat the real foods that God created.  Wash out the sugar and soda with purified water.  Deep scrub the fat off of your arteries with whole-grains and legumes.  Fight inflammation and infection with lots of fresh fruits and veggies.  Just as you feel so much better once your literal house is clean, I PROMISE you will feel so much better when your body gets a good cleaning too!

Now, what about the spirit-man (woman)?  In Jewish homes, just before Passover, the family cleans every bit of leaven (representing sin) out of the home.  In this process the house gets what we know today as a Spring-Cleaning.  Catholic families often do something similar during Advent.  The home is thoroughly cleaned in preparation for the coming King.  Both of these traditions are to represent repentance and cleansing from sin.  If your spiritual life is feeling sluggish you may be in need of some repentant cleansing!

So let’s say we put all of these things together to make a “Wholly-Holy” life.  What if you plan a day to really clean your house?  I mean DEEP CLEAN!  As you clean you don’t miss a thing.  That’s right, even the base boards and under the couch cushions!  As you do this you ask the Lord to show you any hidden sin in your life that needs to be cleaned up.  Use this time to allow Him to speak to your heart.  Now, when you reach your kitchen why not look for all of the junk that is polluting your body (His Temple) and be gone with it!  Dump those dead Oreo cookies and replace them with some life giving blueberries. 

You will be amazed at how good it feels to have a clean home, a clean body, and a clean spirit!