Remove the "Lint" from Your Heart this "Lent"

~~~ Exodus 20: 1-17 ~~~ Psalm 19 ~~~ 1Cor. 1: 22-25 ~~~ John 2: 13-25 ~~~

"Lord, you have the words of everlasting life." (John 6:68c)

Following The 10 Commandments presents a real challenge to some for their entire lives. For some these commandments interfere with how they want to live their life. They want to live a life consumed by their whims and earthly pleasure. Following these rules are just too much trouble it is easier to take path of least resistance.

Paul hits the nail on the head so to speak the crucified Christ was a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles. They ask themselves WHY would anyone willingly subject themselves to this savage death by crucifixion. It is hard to wrap your mind around how anyone could make this kind of sacrifice.

If it is difficult to keep the commandments then trying to understand the crucifixion just might be beyond comprehension. One of the most humbling mysteries of our faith is that "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life."

Now is the time to search your heart, to look into the hidden pockets and pull out the little piles of lint. Pocket lint can go unnoticed even after multiple machine washings. Scrape the lint from your heart.

It is hard to ignore the times we have blatantly broken a commandment. But have you looked for the pieces of lint that have been patted down into the seams and corners? You know those sins that just hang around...you just cannot seem to remove them from your life.  They eventually become part of the fabric of your life...your heart. Turning the 'pocket' inside out may be the only way to find the hidden lint.

Jesus went into the temple and turned over tables spilling coins; he made a whip out of cords and drove them out of the temple. Living a life of surrendering to God may just mean allowing him to come and turn over the tables of your life. It may mean hearing Jesus say, 'take these out of here.'

It may mean removing debris to create space for something better.

Create in me a clean heart!

Do you believe in his name?

Lent...time to remove the 'Lint' from your heart.