The Fall Cleanups!

As much as I love the beauty of autumn, as the leaves on the trees around us turn from a dull green to vibrant red, orange, and yellow, I do not like the task of blowing and raking those very same leaves when they fall. It’s wonderful to look out the window in the morning and see the stunning colors of the maple trees across the street, especially as the morning sun casts its light on them; it’s another thing, however, to have to spend hours on end, cleaning up those leaves when they come down.  But, clean them up I do! (I know many you do as well.) Yes, it’s that time of year again: time for the fall cleanup! 

Believe it or not, I’ve got one neighbor who is out there almost every day with his blower and rake clearing his front lawn of fallen leaves. He obviously takes a lot of pride in a leafless lawn! Even his wife says he is over the top when it comes cleaning his lawn.  In the end, however, whether a person clears their lawn every day or just once during the fall, eventually the job needs to get done—sooner or later the fall cleanup is done (hopefully before Christmas!).  

The beautiful maple trees across the street!

If we are honest, we all know that we have stuff in our lives that needs to be cleaned up and cleared out on a regular basis.  Bad attitudes, hurt feelings, wrong motives, are examples of some things that might need to be cleaned out of our hearts and minds.  We all have sins that begin to creep in and mess up our lives. Worst of all, if we are not careful, we end up allowing stuff to drop into our lives that, if not cleaned up will hinder our relationship with God. Time again, we all need a good cleanup!

At one point in his life, King David was desperate for a cleanup. His life had become filled with sin. His relationship with God was broken. And, he knew that he would never be able to clean himself up well enough to fully restore that relationship.  Thus, he prayed to God, “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow...Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:7, 10 – NIV) When David needed a good cleanup, he turned to the mercy and grace of God to come and do for him that which he could never have done for himself.

The Apostle John wrote these words: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify (cleanse) us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 – NIV)

The writer of Hebrews gives to us the same kind of instruction when he writes, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16 – NIV)

When you find yourself in need of a good cleanup, don’t run from God, run towards him. Tell him about all the stuff that has fallen into your life that needs to cleaned up and cleared out. Then trust in his grace and mercy that is yours through Christ Jesus our Lord. He will be faithful to forgive you, cleanse you, and renew you. And, remember, he does his clean ups any time of the year!

Have a great day!

Pastor Tim Harris