I had spent the previous day cleaning out the old garden shed. Now I had a few things to put away. I had put four vases on the patio to clean and store in a more convenient place for use. There was one clear squatty vase, one was tall and decorative, another medium and clear. Then there was my favorite, a cobalt blue. I brought them in for washing. With some good Christian music playing in the room, I used bottle brushes, a dish cloth, and soapy water, to clean each vessel. The first three had a minimal amount of dirt and debris to clean off. Then I came to the cobalt blue. It was disgustingly dirty. I began by emptying out the garbage. Then, as I began to wash the grime away, the words of the Christian song playing came to me, “God’s grace!” I pictured my own filthy life before I came to Jesus and saw His hands cleansing me with His blood in the waters of baptism. His grace cleaned away that old filthy life to make me a vessel fit for His use. My own tears mixed with the dishwater as the dirt was wiped away, revealing the intended beauty, inside and out. I had to stop and thank the Lord for what He had done in my life, and for reminding me of His work, still in progress, to make me what He wants me to be. ~~~~~ As I resumed my work, I thought of how each vase was like a soul, some plane, some ornate, each for their own special purpose. Each came with different needs. One with a spot that was hard to scrub off, like a soul with painful memories. The small one that was easy to wash, like a young child who comes to Jesus before life messes him up too badly. Two of the four were very plane. Most of God’s children are just one of the congregation, but still a vessel ready to hold beautiful flowers. Then there is the tall ornate and the cobalt blue. These stand out for a special purpose. A dirty spot will show even more on these. They are like the leaders in a Church who everyone looks to. They are noticed all the time in every situation. This reminds me to pray for my pastor and the leaders of the church. The enemy of our soul would love to bring them down, for in so doing, he may also bring down many who look to them, causing a landslide of souls to be ruined and lose faith. My musings brought me once again back to need for prayer and hope that God will make me what I ought to be. A vessel of honor for the master's use.
