I was driving down hwy 3 the other day, when up in front of me a ways a garbage truck pulled out in front of me. Instead of getting frustrated, I began to think about the trash man and his job. I don't know about your schedule, but for our street, he makes his way down to empty our trash can every Friday morning. What a job that is. To handle other people's trash is a messy line of work.
Then I began to think about the trash in our home. With three young children in the house, our trash can fills up so fast. We constantly find ourselves taking a full bag of trash out to the dumpster. Though it is never fun to handle trash, there is a sign of relief when the full bag of trash is taken out and a new (even scented now) bag is placed in the can. Every day we bring a bag of trash out to the trash can...if we didn't it would smell, overflow and make a mess out of our home!!
Okay, okay, I will get to the point. The thought that really permeated my mind was the thought of taking the trash out spiritually.
1 John 1:9 is a familiar verse, but I want to take a different angle on it this morning:
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Let me ask you a question, and most likely you will answer, "I do not know."
How many times a day do you sin?
Imagine your life is a trash can, and every sin you commit is placed into that can...eventually that can (like any trash can) give off a putrid smell, it may begin to overflow and make a mess of your life as sins begin to pile up.
What needs to happen, is you need to take out the trash. You need to make this a regular occurrence. Short accounts with God keep the can from overflowing.
Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4:26 to not let the sun go down upon our wrath. He is reminding us not to go to bed angry. We ought to make things right before we go to bed. On a larger scale, don't you think it is a good idea for us to take care of today's shortcomings...today?
1 John 1:9 reminds us that not only is God able and faithful to forgive...but also cleanses us. He cleans us!
Trash left in the can piles up, it stinks and it can make a mess of your life.
I would encourage you today, before your close your eyes to sleep, close your eyes and take out your trash. Ask God to remind you of areas that you fell short today. Be specific with God about your sin and ask Him to forgive you and make you clean so that you can start off tomorrow with a fresh start. Do not let your sin pile up...keep that daily account short. Keep that line of communication open. And remember: If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me, Psalm 66:18.
Do not let your prayers today be unheard because of yesterday's unconfessed sin.
We are human, we forget all the time. But just because we forget about a sin we committed yesterday, doesn't mean it is automatically forgiven. We must allow God to remind us of our failures if we are to own up to them. That is why keeping a short account with God (or taking out the trash) should happen every day.