How Happy Are Your Toilets?

-
Scrubbing toilets is an act of worship for me.  Perhaps I should explain.  When I was a senior in college, I sought God's wisdom for His direction for my life.  Since I was a child, I felt called into Christian service.  With graduation looming, I spent an evening praying in the College Chapel.  My divine revelation was not quite what I expected.

As I prayed and reflected on Scripture, Matthew 5 pervaded my thoughts.  I committed to the Father that if He called me to scrub toilets for Him, my prayer was to scrub them joyfully, out of gratitude for all He had done for me.  Not long after my experience in my collegiate chapel, I was blessed with a job at a church.  Since that time, I have served in several "ministerial" capacities.  But, God has also had other plans for my life as well. 

Currently, I am not on staff at a church.  Yet, this morning, as I scrubbed my toilets, I rejoiced as I do most "toilet days".  I rejoice because I know I am right where God wants me.  I am in relationship with Him.  I serve Him by how I love my family, my church, and those I encounter on a daily basis.    Contentment for me is no longer something I strive for, yet rather a space where I reside with God.  When I scrub toilets, God reminds me of the promise I made to Him beneath the darkened altar.  My response to Him today: It is Well with My Soul.

 Matthew 5:3-12
3 “Happy are people who are hopeless, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
4 “Happy are people who grieve, because they will be made glad.
5 “Happy are people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth.
6 “Happy are people who are hungry and thirsty for righteousness, because they will be fed until they are full.
7 “Happy are people who show mercy, because they will receive mercy.
8 “Happy are people who have pure hearts, because they will see God.
9 “Happy are people who make peace, because they will be called God’s children.
10 “Happy are people whose lives are harassed because they are righteous, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
11 “Happy are you when people insult you and harass you and speak all kinds of bad and false things about you, all because of me. 12 Be full of joy and be glad, because you have a great reward in heaven.

How happy are your toilets?

~CW

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Remember When...

-
Image
Over the last several days, I have enjoyed nothing more than enjoying watching my children simply be children.  As they grow older, I know these days of childhood are fleeting.  They still enjoy playing in the hose, exploring outdoors, and using their imagination. The live life unhindered by the worries of the day. Not long ago, my parents found an old box of childhood memories.  In there, were drawings, doodles, and even writings I had crafted in my youth.  As I sifted through the pages, part of me longed for the simplicity of days past.  I used to hike down to a brook in the woods and sit for hours, watching the tadpoles swim and listening to the birds sing. I rode my bike in the neighborhood until suppertime, without a care in the world. Jesus calls us to live freely and to live without anxiety as many of us did when we were children. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." In a time when many of us h
Read more

My Bible Study with Mormons

-
Image
Three weeks ago, two Mormon girls knocked on my door and asked if I would like to watch a video about Easter.  I agreed.  After the video, I invited them inside to warm themselves from the cold.  We sat down and talked about life and faith.  At the end of the conversation, I asked if I could pray for them.  Before they left, they asked if they could come back next week and read Scripture with me.  I had told them that I had studied the New Testament in seminary. Last week, we read John 1 together.  We discussed how Jesus came to earth for the world in order to justify us for our sins.  I talked about the notions of truth, grace and freedom.  It was a wonderful time of fellowship.  The girls asked if they could come back the following week and discuss John 2.  I asked them if it would be ok if I made them lunch and they agreed. Today we met for the third week.  This time, we had all studied John 2 beforehand.  We discussed Jesus' wedding at Cana and then the cleansing of th
Read more

The Impact of Love

-
Image
Today, as I glanced through the hashtags of Twitter, I noticed the anger within the posts. Hearts are crying out for change and revolution. Many Christians implore action based on Christ's response to the moneychangers in the Court of the Gentiles at the temple. I read their pleas and heard their pain. I watched the marches on television yet wondered, "how does solidarity promote change?" As I reflected, read, and prayed, I remembered what most motivates change. Looking back on the passage of Jesus at the temple, I am reminded of several things. First Jesus was angry. The vendors had made the Court of the Gentiles an unfair market place. This outer courtyard was the only place where non-Jews could go to worship and commune with the One True God. Yet, Jewish merchants profited by turning it to a place where they converted secular coins into the Jewish currency necessary to pay the Temple tax, making them no better than tax collectors. Also required was
Read more