Lessons from Spilt Milk
I love freshly swept and moppedfloors. The rest of my house could be in shambles, but if my floors were freefrom snack crumbs, foot smudges, and cat hair, I feel like I’m living inluxury.
Why clean floors have thiseffect on me, I don’t know, but my response to when they are sullied reveals aselfishness in my heart. Because life with a toddler means clean floors don’tstay that way for long.
Today, I deep cleaned my house.Laundry, dishes, bathrooms, kitchen, vacuum, the works. I ended with my favorite,you guessed it, sweeping and mopping. I sat down at dinner (leftovers,obviously, because who has time to cook after all that cleaning) proud of myefforts.
And then I saw it happen inslow motion, as my toddler picked up a handful of rice and threw it with forceacross the kitchen floor. My heart plummeted. Then the milk cup flew off thetray. White liquid marred my gleaming floors. That’s when my anger flared,revealing a selfish indignation I didn’t know I had.
I was so frustrated. All myhard work seemed undone five minutes into dinner. But in that moment, Godshowed me a picture of His patient grace.
His Son spilled his own bloodthat I might be cleansed from my sin. And yet, when I choose to disobey the Godwho gave everything for me, He does not respond in indignation like I did (thoughHis indignation would be righteous).
He sees me just as clean as the day Christ brought me from death to light, cleansing me from my sin.
No, instead, He sees me just asclean as the day Christ brought me from death to light, cleansing me from mysin.
“And you, who were dead in yourtrespasses…God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all ourtrespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with itslegal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13-14)
God is patient towards Hischildren, not getting frustrated when we choose to soil that which He cleanedwith His own Son’s blood. Instead of sending His wrath, he gives more grace. Inhis loving kindness, His Spirit convicts us of that which dishonors him andempowers us to overcome temptation the next time.
God is patient towards His children, not getting frustrated when we choose to soil that which He cleaned with His own Son’s blood.
As I was on my knees cleaningup rice and milk off my recently mopped floors, instead of letting my angersimmer, I was overwhelmed with gratefulness—that the God of the universe, whois holding galaxies together at that moment, cared about sanctifying thisstubborn, selfish momma.
And He cares about yoursanctification, too. Even when you willfully choose the sin that cost Christ somuch, He will never cease to give you the grace and mercy to become His perfectbride, purified once and for all.“…Christ loved the church and gave himself upfor her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing ofwater with the word, so that he might present the church to himself insplendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy andwithout blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25-27)