Thursday, July 16, 2009

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.

14 comments:

melanie said...

FIRST! yesssss! ;o) xoxo

Anonymous said...

Dude....you gave me a nasty flashback to AP Lit in high school and Nathaniel Hawthorne, gag...stupid scarlet letter...

BUT, your laundry oops totally helped illustrate Isaiah 1:18, loved it!

Don't you like how I'm commenting now? I'm so proud of myself :)

-yourfavoriteblogstalker

Gabby said...

Amen and Hallelujah sista!!!

Thanks for reminding me B that Our God is an awesome God who has washed away all my sins.

Anonymous your secret identity is safe with me :)

Kate said...

LOVE the illustration you gave! What an encouragement to us all. You continue to motivate, challenge and encourage me!!

Praying for you today with love!

Nay. said...

B, it is so evident that you are living in the Spirit of God when a laundry faux pas can morph into an amazing teaching on Christ's redemptive blood! Thanks once again and 100 times over! Love you!

Anonymous said...

Great message, great post!

PS...I need to talk/vent...then let you rebuke me... ;)
will email or call you soon...

-j

Maribel said...

You think of the most incredible analogies. I KNOW Clorox and I KNOW Jesus. Who new there was a parallel?? Thanks B and Thanks Jesus for your blood!

Bianca said...

Welcome Maribel to the commentors club! Woohoo :)

@mel: You're my first, baby!
@favoriteblogstalker: I really do love you ;) Can't wait for our Genesis retreat!
@gabby: Thanks for the amen! PS I love your mom's green dessert thing :) Don't hate.
@kate: I LOVE your prayers! I wecome them all :)
@nay: God speaks through EVERYTHING. You just have to listen and look. I'll teach you when we shop for J&C's wedding jewelry!
@j: I'm ready when you are! In the mean time, I'm covering you with prayers :)

JACKY FIGUEROA said...

Love it!!! By the way J does great laundry, bring yours on over and he'll hook you up !! Hahaha!! By the way yes it's you on my blog. Dude, you're like my BOFF and you don't even know it!! Hahaha!! :)

Bridget said...

I love the way you put things!

Lindsay said...

You have a great way of giving very practical examples and illustrations to help us understand and comprehend God's love and the power of Jesus' blood. Love it!
I thought the one about anger and fireworks was great too...that so spoke to me!

Love the fact that you say God speaks through everything. I so feel this and sometimes God will speak to me through the randomest of things...you only have to read a little of my blog to know that!

Woah, long comment from me today :)

Justine said...

Thank you for your endless inpirations. This one really hit home for me and will prove to be most helpful to me not only through out today but tomorrow and on. Thank you:)

Tara Harman said...

I love your analogies. Have you ever cleaned with a "Mr. Clean Magic Eraser"? You should try it (on something like a stained coffee pot) it reminds me so much of Jesus.

Theresa Santoro: Give Your Family Roots and Wings / www.thefineartofparenting.com said...

RIT color remover will take care of the problem here on earth...

I love your wisdom....

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