Empty Drawers

As we steadily prepare for this weekend’s yard sale for the Nigerian Maternity Clinic, I can’t help but prepare our plan of attach for purging. My goal for this week is to continue checking in every nook and cranny for some material item that has gone unused, unwanted and forgotten. The thought that our “what-not’s” will soon turn into a tangible a substance to improve the lives of many women, has become quite exhilarating.

                There is nothing sacred in our house. If it’s not used on a daily basis, it’s gone. As I scour drawers, under beds and the backs of closets God revealed a beautiful correlation that is even more important that the task at hand.

                In Galatians 6:14-15 says… “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.”

                It’s easy to get caught up in the “feel good” of what God has asked us to accomplish. But the flat out truth is, we have putting this off for almost 2 years due to our selfishness. It has taken God that long to work on our hearts so we are finally at a place where we say “take it all”. God has changed our hearts, our minds and our desires to the point where we are now glorying in Him and not in what “we” can do.

                As Paul wraps up this letter to the Galatians, he is reminding them that what was being taught (they must be circumcised to come to Christ) was a false religious looking check mark on their climb to Christ. He’s reminding them they can’t climb to Christ, no matter what they do. There’s only one thing they could do, and it hasn’t changed. They must glory in Jesus’s crucifixion and through this we become a new creature.

                I became aware that circumcision was the deed of choice in those days to prove their “Christianity” due to their ignorance. It’s easy for us to say…”well duh, I know that circumcision won’t save me.” But in our society we have all new ignorance’s that allow for deeds to make us feel like we can prove or even earn our place with Christ. Isaiah 64: 6 says…” all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all of our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

                This passage made me stop and check weather my acts of righteousness where God’s requests or of my own conjuring. That makes a big difference as things (even good) we try to accomplish for the purpose of being seen before men are useless and a waist to God. He cares about our heart condition so that must be pure and purged prior to embarking on, what we think are, acts of valor.

                The drawers of our hearts must be cleaned out folks. Throw all that hidden, wasted “what-not’s” out so they may be turned into tangible usefulness for the Lord to consume and transform it into the Light of this world, so we may be used of Him as He intends.