Cleaning Up

Ever bake a pie and boil over into your oven? I did. Sugary goo all over. Ever thankful for one of those self cleaning ovens, I went to work.

I couldn’t find my instructions. How hard could it be? A quick google search told me to take the racks out first. I did. Then, “Push the button.” I did. The door locked, and I went about my work.

Before long I smelled smoke. Hurrying to the kitchen, I saw gray stuff billowing out of the back burner. I peeked through the oven window and saw 8 inch flames. Hmmm, this is not a good thing. What to do? The door was locked.

In my moment of brilliance, I pushed the off button, opened the windows, turned on fans and begged forgiveness of my family.

I went back to my computer and googled, “How to put flames out in oven,” only to learn that I was supposed to clean the oven – before I cleaned the oven.

Reminds me of my Mom who thought she wanted to get her house cleaned up before we could hire someone to help her with it.

I am so thankful that God is not like us. He takes us sins, warts and all and cleans us up forever. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

We do not have to get rid of our sins before coming to God. We cannot. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” Ephesians 2:4-5