Clean

I have been shoveling, plowing, and removing snow at levels I never thought I would- this in little more than a week.  I have been on the rooftops, in the driveway and dealing with snow levels that I cannot remember seeing in all of the years I have lived in northeast Washington.  Fortunately, I own a four wheel drive pickup and a tow chain and a shovel.  They have been handy and useful in times like this.  It has been almost a daily practice of helping a stranded motorist get their car back on the road again.  Five days ago, it was like a war zone in the streets of Spokane.  On my way to the airport at 4:30am, there were very few vehicles trying to weather the storm.  One of the biggest difficulties was navigating around the dozens of stranded vehicles (some abandon in the middle of the road) and four semis (truck and trailer combinations) jackknifed and blocking entire roads.  I had to chuckle as it took a trip to five stores just to find one that still had windshield, ice scrapers in stock. 

In addition to the work getting around, were the Christmas shopping crowds everywhere- many of them not in the Christmas spirit, as many of them did not have the kinds of vehicles to brave the storm.  It has been heartening, however, to see the flood of volunteers working to dig folks out of their home-bound predicament.  Power-outages, inaccessible hospitals and emergency care facilities as well as failed mail deliveries (sometimes carrying critical medicines and the like) just added to the burden. 

I say all of that to say, “In spite of the work and the woe, it is truly beautiful.”  It is so clean as to be breathtaking.  At the end of the day, as much mess as there is in getting where we are today, it is truly a beautiful sight.  It has been a joy to see the children playing in the snow and watch the Christmas lights glisten through the icicles and snow-laden branches.  It looks so clean, but requires so much work. 

I am thankful for grace.  It comes out so clean and requires so much work- the greatest degree of work is not from us.  The costly grace is on the head of Jesus.  However, it is incredibly accessible.  Though the clean life is approached simply, it requires daily attention on our part.  Humbly admitting sin and fault and weakness, seeking forgiveness, quiet introspection of life, seeking the good that God wants us to apply ourselves to and asking God to replace what is broken with what is whole.  At the end of the day, clean has taken a lot of work.  But, it is beautiful. 

In Austin, Texas at the Free Methodist Church, two folks, struggling with aids “came clean” by the grace of Jesus and the love of Jesus’ brothers and sisters- co-heirs of his.  They were introduced to the family.  Aids has a brutal course of its own.  But, God brought clean in a place that can not otherwise find it.  Clean is a beautiful sight.  It is breathtaking.  It will forever conjure in me more wonder and awe than the most beautiful sunset and most glorious vista.  That should inspire us to not only seek clean in ourselves, but help others dust off as well. 

Comments

[Brenda]

Hi Hope all will soon be back to normal. And I thot it was bad here
Take care and God bless. Hope all will be safe and have a Blessed Christmas!!

[Dennis Jeffery]

Matt,
I remember the big snow of '69 in Spokane as a child. Dad actually stayed home from work - a first. 3 ft of snow slows down life and buffers sound. Then if the sun comes out the beauty is matchless. "Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow". What a great word picture for God's good work of grace in our lives.