My girlfriend Lynda, who lives three hours away, is the best organizer in the world. She knows how to get rid of stuff. And because she has a servant’s heart, when she comes to visit she always asks, what can I do for you Christy?
That’s a loaded question but I usually go for, will you please help me clean out and organize my pantry?
You see, I’m one of those people whose home looks neat and tidy but mercy, don’t open a closet or worse, my pantry! It’s a scary experience. 
Honestly, sometimes I can’t see the mess on the shelves until I ask Lynda to help me get rid of what I don’t need. Thankfully, she’s happy to oblige, combining duplicate, half empty chip bags and cracker boxes, ditching foods that are out of date and reorganizing so I can see what I need and don’t need to purchase at the store. I can’t believe some of the junk she finds to pull out. It can be an embarrassing process.
Unfortunately my heart can resemble my pantry at times. And I don’t mean in the “you are what you eat” kind of way. I mean, it can become full of clutter I don’t desire or want.
As I prepare again for celebrating the birth of our Savior, as I typically do, I pour over the first few chapters of Luke. As I soak in every little detail and miracle, God whispers, what can I do for you Christy?
Uh huh, that’s a loaded question. But I go for, will you please show me what needs to be cleaned out of my heart?
Sometimes I have to ask for help to clear out what I can’t see. It could be bitterness I’m hanging on to, anger over an issue long gone or the offense that still triggers a reaction even though it’s way out of date.
The truth is my heart just needs a good reorganizing every now and then. Much like my pantry, because I live with it every day, I don’t always recognize the bad stuff hanging out there. This cleaning can be an ugly process but a necessary one.
If you feel that way too, and want to prepare your heart for the advent of Christ, won’t you pray with me now? And don’t worry about the mess. God is used to coming into messy places. His Son was born in one.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for asking to enter this messy heart. Please search every corner, nook and cranny. I ask that you clean out the places where I’m hiding any anger, bitterness, jealousy or insecurities. Show me what I can’t see that I may ask for forgiveness and my heart can be properly prepared for this beautiful season where we celebrate You coming, clothed in flesh to save us. I praise You for helping me see a better way. Your way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Search me oh God and how my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139: 23-24).
Thank you for cleaning up my mess with this timely devotion!
I needed it too! Merry Christmas!
Such a nice read during this wonderful season. It’s good to see you writing again! Merry Christmas!
Thank you friend.
This was a good analogy of how our hearts get cluttered with all the wrong things as we go through life. I never looked at it this way before, so thank you for making me realize that my hearts needs a good cleaning from time to time. I don’t realize how much of the world seeps into my heart at times, so this helped me to see that a good cleaning is necessary alot of the time.
Oh I know Betty. When I ask God to show me what’s there, He does. Most often I don’t like what I see. It’s such an ugly process for me but good at the same time.
Merry Christmas!
I needed this today. I haven’t asked God for awhile to clean up my heart or to search me and know what’s in my heart. I am sure there is alot cluttering up my heart that keeps me from focusing on Him. I loved this analogy about the pantry cluttered and our hearts being cluttered. One we can take care of but the other God has to let us know what needs to be taken our and thrown away.
Great post friend and oh so timely!
Thank you Gretchen.