Cleaner

I experienced a phenomenon today that I'll bet you've experienced.  It was time for me to get my emissions test done on my truck, and it also happened to be time for an oil change.  I usually take it to one of the Mr. Clean Express Wash places so I get a free car wash and vacuum with my oil change.  They did the emissions test and the ol' truck is still tickin' fine.  They changed the oil.  Then they ran ol' Tuesday (that's the name of my truck -- it's a long story) through the wash.  I had emptied out all the Hot Wheels cars and toy dinosaurs before I took it.  I picked up the trash before they vacuumed it.  The ol' girl still shines pretty bright red and smells a lot better than she did before.  As I pulled off, I felt it:  Tuesday was driving better.  Why do cars feel like they drive better when they're clean.  I don't know if they do, but they sure do feel like it.  Everything felt a little smoother.  And I was happier.  My truck was running smooth, looking good and there weren't three Coke Zero cans clanging around on the floor.  Cleaner just feels better.  I asked myself:  why don't I keep my truck cleaner all the time if this feels so good?

A car is not unlike us.  We stand a little taller, shoulders a little firmer when we're cleaned up, smelling good and dressed like we're going to a meeting instead of going to bed.  We feel confident.  Cleaner is better.  And you ask yourself, "Why don't I dress like this more often?"  I think we get used to the mess and forget how good it feels to be clean.

Our relationship with God is much the same.  We're excited about salvation.  The waters of baptism cleanse our soul and Christ's grace washes our sins away forever.  But I don't think salvation is supposed to be a one time event.  I think salvation is a daily event that happens over and over as we ask Jesus to keep washing us...to keep cleaning us.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come."  But we can invite Christ to keep making us new every day.  You don't take one shower and that's good for a lifetime.  You don't send your car to Mr. Clean's Express Wash one time and that's good for the next 40 years.  We walk taller when we're clean.  My truck drives better when it's clean.  I live better when my spirit's clean.  Don't get me wrong on this.  God's forgiveness works once and for all, but I need that grace to keep washing over me.  I don't want to just be in heaven when I die; I want heaven to be in me while I live.  I want Him to keep scrubbing away the layers of dirt (i.e. me) until I look the way I'm suppose to look when I came out of the factory, just like my maker created.  Keep going back to the Chief Car Washer.  You run better when you're clean.