On Monday we decided we were going to spend the day serving the Alpha Resort Hotel staff (Alpha is our home here in Uganda). After asking the Lord what that looked like we split off to serve.
One of the services us girls felt we were to do was help the African ladies do laundry. We found out that we were doing it wrong, so the ladies taught we the right way. It's kind of hard to explain how they do it, so please ask me how when I get home and I'll show/tell you.
Anyway, the whole time God kept reminding me of a passage in Isaiah that says:
"Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of My sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressd. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. 'Come now, let us reason together,' says the LORD, 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.'" Isaiah 1:16-18
If done correctly, (ahem, the African way) old stains can be washed out of clothing, even stains that have been there for months or even close to the year. I don't know how these ladies do it but they can make getting stains out look so easy. In the same way, the Lord can take out all stains in our hearts.
With this thought in my head and the passage in my heart I found myself wishing. "I want to be clean. All I want is to be clean." Well, let me tell you this: I'm in Africa there's no way I'm going to get completely clean or even stay relatively clean after leaving my bathroom.
But God has been cleaning my heart this week. He has been shoowing me parts of my heart that I don't care to look at, but need to be made white as snow. As He shows me these parts of my heart He also tells me that they are forgiven and guides me to get rid of them.
I want to encourage you to ask God what your heart really looks like, and what scarlet sins need to be made white as snow. You'll be glad you did when you allow God to work in you.
