Cleaning House

Daily chores around the home are nothing new. We single Mom's know how difficult it can be when we are cleaning the house. Our child or children are rather crafty and know that when our eyes are off of them that they can get away with things they typically cannot when we are not busy.

A watchful eye

Mom's have to be observant of their kids. In a flash they can find themselves in trouble or in dangerous situations. Naturally curious, children of all ages love to explore new things. My friend's daughter is a good example.

I'll call her Sue. Sue was on a electrical mission. She liked to turn the light switch off and on, explore the fan blades spinning rapidly while talking into them and changing her voice, and pulling the electrical plugs out of wall sockets.

And then one day it happened. While Mom and Dad were busy downstairs, Sue had scampered upstairs into her room. Suddenly, they heard a scream, and her Dad raced up two stairs at a time to see what was wrong, Sue's Mom hot on his heels.

Sue sat crying and holding her finger near an electrical wall outlet. A metal bread tie was nearby. Examining her finger while soothing her, they discovered her finger had been burned from placing the bread tie into the wall socket. Ouch!

They has failed to keep a watchful eye. These things happen. We cannot always watch our children's every move. Their curiosity exceeds our ability to stay up with them at times. And though we mean well, our focus does shift at times and our watchful eye is distracted, leaving our children at risk of harm. When we are cleaning house we can easily become distracted.

The watchful eye of God

One of God's characteristics is omniscience. The Illustrated Oxford Dictionary defines “omniscience” as “knowing everything". The Bible tells us about God's omniscience many times in the Old and New Testaments.

"The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3).

Our Heavenly Father does not allow a single eye blink to escape His sight. He not only watches us, but He hears everything we say and think!

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12, ESV).

Nothing gets past Him!

Just spanked your child out of frustration when you were cleaning house? God saw it. Angry but not expressing it verbally so as not to upset your child? He knows it. Wondering how you will manage to complete your daily tasks with a sick child? He feels your sorrow. This is omniscience at work.

When speaking to the issue to managing the household, the Apostle Paul gave this command from the Lord: "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality" (Colossians 3:23-25, ESV).

Cleaning house

Jesus cleaned house two times, that is, He cleansed the temple twice, once at the beginning of His ministry and once a week before the end of His ministry.

"In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade” (John 2:14-16, ESV).

Like the example of Sue above, Jesus was providing us with an example of the final judgment to come. One day in the future God will begin cleaning house.

"For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead" (Acts 17:31).

And again: "Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son" (John 5:22).

At the final judgment, the destiny of the wicked and nonbelievers will be under the full control of Almighty God, Who will assess everyone according to their soul’s status and the works they have done.

There are two future judgments on the horizon. The first is the judgment of believers and the last of unbelievers.

You don't want to face the second one!

"Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, greatand small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book wasopened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in thebooks, according to what they had done. 1And the sea gave up the dead who were in it,Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one ofthem, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire"(Revelation 20:11-15, ESV).

Ready or not?

Are you ready for Christ's return? Is your house in order, cleansed from the filth of idols and sin? He is watching; He knows! Prepare your heart for the Lord. Make sure you are cleaning house on a daily basis (1 John 1:9). Believe on Jesus and repent for the forgiveness of your sins, follow Him daily, obey His commands, and hold the faith until the very end.