Jonathan Francisca @jonathan_francisca Unsplash.com
Nobody likes cleaning or doing chores, right? It’s just another task on the to-do list. However, what if we looked at our duties as having spiritual advantages for the New Year?
Declutter
Clutter is a diversion that produces confusion around us and limits our focus. Think of decluttering the house or yard as an internal purge. Clutter adds more tension, makes you feel out of control and zaps enthusiasm. Luke 11:25: “When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. When you organize living quarters, it helps to support focus, prayer time, Bible time, and overall well-being.
Doing Laundry
Ecclesiastes 9:8 says to let thy “garments be always white…” We know the reference is about remaining pure from sin. However, washing clothes and items can be a spiritual discipline. Some of you might be thinking, “What laundry?” Just track with me for a minute. When doing laundry, think of it as an act going from sinner to being cleansed from sin. Think of purifying clothes as an act of repenting from sin. “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool (Isaiah 1:18).” Okay, let’s get washing!
Doing Repairs
When doing renovations around the house, take a step back, and thank God for shelter and His blessings. Cleaning the refrigerator, thank God for the food. Dusting the furniture? Praise God for a place to sit. A bed, even though it’s lumpy.? Thank God for a safe place to rest and sleep. Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.”
Put God First at Work
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord, you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Col 3:23-24). Many of us work from home, and we can honor the Lord in our work and for our employer. Your boss may not know what’s going on 100 percent of the time but God does! Are you doing the best that can be done today at work? “Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits.”
Our access to God is not limited. He’s always there even in the mundane actions. You still have a prayer room, a place where you can meet him, and wherever you go. Everything that we do can have a spiritual benefit this New Year and for years to come. “The Lord your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” Zephaniah 3:17