laundry, lust, and life...

Ever heard the expression, a little leaven leavens the lump? Or what about, a rotten apple rots the bunch? How about my new favorite, one red sock will ruin your whites? If you haven't heard the last one it's because I made it up. Today. Yes friends, I now have pink socks and tees that were once bright white. [Note to self: Self, marry someone who does laundry well!]

On Tuesday night at our Se7en Deadly Sins study, I discussed lust and the effects it has on ones life (read James 1:15). But lust isn't a flashing neon sign or a deep pit with orange safety cones around it. No, lust is a cute little red sock that mysteriously ends up in my piles of whites on their way to get laundered. Stealthily, surreptitiously, sneakily, it waits until the water is hot enough then leaves stains which indicate its presence. Sure, whites can be bleached again... and again... and again to try to get back to their original state of being, but the damage is done and important things are ruined.

Life is WAY more important that a pile of white laundry. The stains left by lust are seemingly irreparable, ruinous of all things pure and stainless. But Isaiah 1:18 says this:

"Come let us reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they

will be white as snow; though they are red like crimson they will be like wool."

Wool? Did someone say wool? Great! Because my favorite white wool socks are now pink?! But more importantly than my heinous wool socks is the fact that the Lord can wash me new. The scarlet letter that has marked my chest is washed whiter than snow. Can I get an amen and hallelujah for the saving power of Clorox bleach and the blood of Jesus? Both are in the business of making things white again.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to salvaging my laundry and dealing with Life :) If you want to hear the message on lust in it's entirety, click here and download the vodcast through a one-time subscription!

*Edit to post: The vodcast will be ready at 3:00PM PST.