Fire

This weekend at my work was really busy and we ran out of bar mops. (In case you don't know, they are cleaning rags kept around found prep areas to keep everything clean and sanitary). My first instinct was, we need these rags, so even if I have to wash them myself, that is what I am going to do. (usually our accommodations team washes them for us, but they weren't in) We have this area for guest laundry that is right behind our Coffeehouse, so I thought that would be the perfect place since it was close. I loaded up the machine, poured in the detergent and let them wash away. No problems. I came back and threw them in the dryer. As I was waiting, it was communicated to me that our accommodations team washes the bar mops a special way because they are flammable due to all the grease from our grill areas. Oh my gosh! I flew into the laundry room and sure enough there was smoke pouring out of the dryer and clouding up the building. Even though it could have been a bad situation, it ended up fine.

Why am I telling you this? I think our lives can look a lot like a bar mop. Along the way we may get a little tattered or torn. We pick up some of the dirt of the world as we go through this life. Sometimes actions, behaviors, or conditions of our heart, that can't always be seen by the human eye, make us ready to burst into flames at any given moment. They can be deadly to us. To our relationship with Christ. To our relationship with others. Given the right circumstances, word spoken to us, or the simple fact that we are continuing in sin, can cause us to burst into flames at any time, much like the bar mop. We must examine ourselves daily and see what "flammable" thing(s) we are allowing into our lives. We must pray against  temptations and weaknesses of our flesh. They usually start out small, and unseen like the grease, but over time they become larger and more destructible. 

Much like our accommodations team handles the bar mops, we need to be washed in a special way. We are delicate and fragile. We must come to our Father and allow Him to cleanse us. This is not meant to condemn you, but free you. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

Much like I did that day, I pray that you examine your heart and life. If we want to be women that are pleasing to God, we must live holy lives.