Create In Me A Shiny, White Tub

Why can’t the bathtub stay clean?

I don’t get it! I just scrubbed it last week. I used Ajax to get the gritty stuff off the bottom, Lysol to rinse away the ring, and some other junk that burned all the hair out of my nose to get rid of the mildew. And what do I have 4 days later? Grit on the bottom, ring around the tub, mildew around the edge, and dried up, hard Irish Spring melted tidbits on the soap holder.
As I sat on the toilet staring into the tub that used to be white & shiny, a small voice whispered in my head, “I know how you feel.”
“What?” I responded.
“It’s not much fun when you scrub and scour but the filth just keeps coming back,” he replied.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Each day I spend time cleaning the selfish thoughts, scrubbing the gritty pride, rinsing away the ring of lies and fear, burning away the doubt, but it just keeps coming back.”

I bowed my head and offered my sincerest apologies. I realized most of the time when I hit the shower, I may be a little sweaty or have a little dirt on my toes, but nothing real noticeable. When I get under the water, though, and all the dirt washes off & it’s evident how filthy I was by what is left behind.

Sometimes we don’t notice a little dirt in our eyes or a touch of sweat in our ears, a little pride in our thoughts or jealousy in our words. It doesn’t seem that bad. Until we stand under the pure, perfection of our Father who washes us clean. What a mess we leave behind! But aren’t we thankful that we can go to the one who washes us clean and transforms us into a shiny, white tub? God, keep us pure in a world that is so tainted.

“Create in me a clean heart. Wash me and I will be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:10,7