Salvation Sunday: Clean Those Dirty Diapers!

Have you ever noticed your toddler likes to walk around in dirty diapers? Mine does.

In fact if I ask him if he has a dirty diaper (and I know he does because I can smell it), he shakes his head "no." Then I end up chasing him around the house trying to catch him to change his diaper. When I finally get him, the delight of chasing him turns into Mr. Hyde as he throws himself into a unruly fit.

I think if I let him he would just run around in his dirty diaper for a while. He ignores the stench (that we all seem to smell), just continuing to play with his toys or read his books. Some kids even pretend to be sneaky about their business.

This sounds all too familiar in our Christian life, doesn't it? We sneak around God as we fall to sin. The stench permeates everything around us in life. We like to remain in our own filth of dirt, wearing it on us. We even run from God as He chases us.

And the sad thing of it all is that all we have to do is let God change us. He wipes away the guilt and shame, replacing our black "dirty diaper" with a clean, white heart. And finally at last as we surrender to His chasing, He takes away the stench.

I started reading from the Bible book of Isaiah for my daily devotions. The first chapter addresses this very subject, addressing Israel's continuous sin of idolatry and immorality. Isaiah 1:5, says "Why do you continue to invite punishment? Must you rebel forever? Your head is injured, and your heart is sick." I can just hear God saying not only to the Israelites but to us today, "Why do continue to wallow in your dirty diaper?"

The answer (almost with a bit of humor) is found later in the chapter,
Isaiah 1: 18, ""Come now, let's settle this," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool." The solution is so simple but we still choose to continue down our own filthy path.

My prayer today is to let God clean me of my sin. I am tired of wearing this dirty diaper. Lord, make me clean again. I hope that is your prayer as well.