August 28, 2011

The Shepherd's Corner

In our last Wednesday’s Bible study and prayer meeting someone shared a poignant insight.  He likened us to a mop in the hands of God.  A mop is to be used on the floor to clean up dirt and mess.  That’s the reason despite its cleaning purpose, a mop is not always clean.  As a matter of fact it has to get dirty in order for it to function as a cleaning device.

(Tidak ada terjemahan dalam bahasa Indonesia)

In our last Wednesday’s Bible study and prayer meeting someone shared a poignant insight.  He likened us to a mop in the hands of God.  A mop is to be used on the floor to clean up dirt and mess.  That’s the reason despite its cleaning purpose, a mop is not always clean.  As a matter of fact it has to get dirty in order for it to function as a cleaning device.

How true!  We are indeed mops in the hands of God.  God puts us in the world and the world, as we know, is a dirty place.  The moment we wake up and deal with people—sinners as we are—we are bound to get “dirty.”  At times we lose control and say things we don’t mean.  Or, we think about something which is not pleasing to the Lord.  And, there are times we commit sins, again and again.

But, still the Lord wants us to be on the “floor,” not in the kitchen cabinet or behind a glass window of a department store.  The Lord sends us into the world so He can use us to “clean” the world from sin.  Even though in the process we, too, will be “stained” by sin itself.

Consequently, just like a mop needs regular wringing and rinsing to make it ready to be used as a cleaning agent again, we, too, must regularly come to the Lord for spiritual wringing and rinsing.  Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ coins the term, spiritual exhaling and inhaling.  We exhale when we confess our sins before the Lord.  And, after we confess our sins, we inhale—we claim the promise of God—that He will forgive us of our sins.  We ask God’s Holy Spirit to again cleanse us and renew our commitment to go into the world and be used by the Lord.

Pastor Paul

How true!  We are indeed mops in the hands of God.  God puts us in the world and the world, as we know, is a dirty place.  The moment we wake up and deal with people—sinners as we are—we are bound to get “dirty.”  At times we lose control and say things we don’t mean.  Or, we think about something which is not pleasing to the Lord.  And, there are times we commit sins, again and again.

But, still the Lord wants us to be on the “floor,” not in the kitchen cabinet or behind a glass window of a department store.  The Lord sends us into the world so He can use us to “clean” the world from sin.  Even though in the process we, too, will be “stained” by sin itself.

Consequently, just like a mop needs regular wringing and rinsing to make it ready to be used as a cleaning agent again, we, too, must regularly come to the Lord for spiritual wringing and rinsing.  Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ coins the term, spiritual exhaling and inhaling.  We exhale when we confess our sins before the Lord.  And, after we confess our sins, we inhale—we claim the promise of God—that He will forgive us of our sins.  We ask God’s Holy Spirit to again cleanse us and renew our commitment to go into the world and be used by the Lord.

Pastor Paul

More Shepherd's Corner Articles

The Shepherd's Corner - August 18, 2024
In his devotionals, Inspirasi Hidup (Life’s Inspiration), A. J. Soenarja, SJ, points out the fact that Moses was a not leader of an army that obeyed and admired him. On the contrary, they never stopped expressing their dissatisfaction and disobedience to him. So, here lies the secret that made Mos...
Read More
The Shepherd's Corner - March 5, 2023
Recent rain and snow have made a significant dent to our drought condition in California. Rivers and dams are filling up, and abundant snow in the mountain is promising a steady flow of water in the months to come.  This phenomenon reminds of what happened in Israel during the reign of King Aha...
Read More
The Shepherd's Corner - March 31, 2019
THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER Santy and I would like to thank you all, not only for making it possible for us to go to Malang, but also for praying for us. Thank you for your continued support; we truly appreciate it. Because of your support, Santy was able to connect with her women’s group and had [&he...
Read More