Written by our Lay Leader, Doug
I do my daily Bible reading and praying, what I call my devotion time, early in the morning, often before sunrise. Some mornings, maybe once a month, I’ll hear a street sweeper go by outside. That got me thinking about how street sweeping is like devotion time — both are regular practices that clean the byways of all the dirt and debris that collects there as part of our daily living.
If you don’t repeat these practices regularly, the grit and grime–all that undesirable, unwanted gunk–builds up and clogs the gutters and prevents the normal flow of things when the storms come. Street sweeping is a good preventative maintenance activity that keeps our streets and our waterways clean of debris and pollutants, keeping us and our environment healthy and functioning properly.
Our prayer and devotion time yield similar benefits: in prayer and reflection we let go of the offenses, the hurts, the bitterness that inevitably come into our lives. In confessing our mistakes, forgiving trespasses, and surrendering our pride, we allow God’s grace to sweep away all that mud and mire and keep our minds clear and open to Christ.
So the next time you hear or see a street sweeper, let it remind you of the importance of daily time with God in keeping your heart and mind swept clean.