THE PARALLEL

the thought of my dirty, leafy, sandy, cluttery jeep continues to pry into my mind. after doing every random task i can possibly do but only do when i'm trying to avoid doing the necessary is complete, i finally come to terms with tackling sojourner (the name of my jeep because it's such a trooper). 
i have to go the extra mile with this one; i grab cleaner and trash bags and the vacuum and paper towels, ready to conquer.
i'm tediously vacuuming the sand out of the trunk from the driftwood that was stowed there weeks ago.

i realize a parallel.

my Walk with the Lord? well it's like the process of my car ordeal. my heart? it reminds me of sojourner.
the air of the vacuum continues to pull sand out of the raggedy carpet and i stop.

my heart reminds me of my gut-wrenching car? the rotten apple cores, dirt, stains...yep, just like jealousy, idolatry and unkindness in my heart.

the feeling of foggy, humid air hits my cheek, and i feel God in the mist.

i clean my car regularly, yet i cannot keep it that way for 24 hours without adding even a straw wrapper to the console. well, it's the same way with my heart. i sin and sin and sin, corrupting my own heart. in the same way, i litter here and there when most days are spent on the road. then the day comes when i need to dispose of everything in my jeep; the minute comes when i need to repent of stubborn sin. and both facts are hard to swallow.

i shut the door of my jeep, feeling good about the cleanliness now.
isn't it the same with repentance? when i take all evil to the Cross and i confess before God, it's that feeling afterwards; the feeling of cleanliness before a righteous God, that i adore.

it's funny how i become such a clean freak after i clean my car, yet i always wind up having to clean it again, because i slip up on keeping it tidy.
i feel the forgiveness embedded in my Savior's death and resurrection, thinking i'm "right with God", only to find myself on my knees; repenting, confessing, trusting in His goodness, because i slowly let sin have its way again.

i do one last scan just to make sure i cleared all of the clutter. SCOREEEEE! i find two colored sharpie pens wedged in between the seats. they are gold to me.
i'm reminded of the treasures God has put in my heart, as i'm weeding out sin with His help, because i can do no good without HIM.

my eyebrows furrow and my head spins. isn't it funny how God can turn your daily tasks into heart-to-heart communion with himself?

the jeep is clean, the Lord has just taught me a lesson, and it's as if the wet breeze smeared a thankful grin across my face...