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Tears sprang to my eyes as I opened the package. My husband had outdone himself again. Having noticed my almost daily moaning at the amount of dirt collected on our floors, he surprised me with a Eufy. This robotic vacuum is the less expensive version of the well-known Roomba and is worth every penny. Now instead of complaining every day, I clear the floor of blocks, balls, and random socks, hit the start button, and watch my little assistant do its work.
Sure, it gets stuck under the coffee table and runs out of battery far too soon, but it frees my hands for other household chores. It assists me in my quest to have an organized peaceful kingdom of my own to enjoy at the end of each day.
Recently, I have begun to realize that my cleanliness crusade, reveals a deeper desire of my heart. The drive to organize and rearrange comes from a yearning to be truly fulfilled by completeness that comes only from Christ himself. While a robotic vacuum brings me a small joy each day, it pales in comparison to the perfection awaiting us as believers in a returning Christ. How does the kingdom of my home compare to the one that is coming soon?
Sure, it gets stuck under the coffee table and runs out of battery far too soon, but it frees my hands for other household chores. It assists me in my quest to have an organized peaceful kingdom of my own to enjoy at the end of each day.
Recently, I have begun to realize that my cleanliness crusade, reveals a deeper desire of my heart. The drive to organize and rearrange comes from a yearning to be truly fulfilled by completeness that comes only from Christ himself. While a robotic vacuum brings me a small joy each day, it pales in comparison to the perfection awaiting us as believers in a returning Christ. How does the kingdom of my home compare to the one that is coming soon?
Truly fulfilling vs. superficial
There is nothing quite like walking into a recently cleaned home. Sparkling counters, dust-free bookshelves, and fluffed pillows create an invitation to come and rest. For me, this feeling is immediately fulfilling. I breathe a sign of relief, as I soak in the organization around me. Yet, I know that if I open "that" drawer or "that" closet (please tell me that you have one too), the image of a perfectly inviting home will quickly shatter. The superficial hope offered to me by a relatively neat home is nice, but doesn't fulfill the deepest longings of my heart like Christ does.
There is nothing quite like walking into a recently cleaned home. Sparkling counters, dust-free bookshelves, and fluffed pillows create an invitation to come and rest. For me, this feeling is immediately fulfilling. I breathe a sign of relief, as I soak in the organization around me. Yet, I know that if I open "that" drawer or "that" closet (please tell me that you have one too), the image of a perfectly inviting home will quickly shatter. The superficial hope offered to me by a relatively neat home is nice, but doesn't fulfill the deepest longings of my heart like Christ does.
Never ending vs. eternal
As our family has grown, my homemaking standards have lowered. I leave clothes in the dryer that can be folded the next day. Crumbs often stay on the floor until after breakfast the next morning. At the end of a long day, my body and mind just want to rest. I long to sit down with the work completely done. Even when the chores are done, the cleanliness never lasts. In our home, four children can undo hours of straightening in a mere five minutes.
The hope coming in a returning Savior is an eternal one! In fact, those of us who have turned to Jesus for rescue from our sinful state are already a part of this everlasting kingdom. The battle still rages between righteousness and evil, but God will prevail. The new heavens and earth will be full of peace forever.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;
your rule is for all generations.
The Lord is faithful in all his words
and gracious in all his actions.
your rule is for all generations.
The Lord is faithful in all his words
and gracious in all his actions.
Psalm 145:13 CSB
Person vs. place
Ironically most of my daily energy is spent on the tasks of running a household and teaching a homeschool. My work centers on a place. This explains my never-ending quest to feel peace inside the four walls of our house. One day, we will have a new home prepared for us by our Heavenly Father. Although I can't wait to see the features of God's new creation, our hope doesn't center on a place (heaven), but on a person (Jesus Christ). The ultimate satisfaction of the desire in all of our hearts is found in his perfection, his work, his love, and his sacrifice for us. Heaven's golden streets sound beautiful and the walls of jasper seem unimaginable, but even they will pale in comparison with the glory possessed by our Lord Jesus.
So, I will continue to attempt to keep the dust bunnies at bay. I will still scrub the apple juice off the refrigerator shelves and dust the ceiling fans. I pray that I will do these mundane jobs with an eternal mindset. My work is simply a reflection of the longing for an eternal rest and an eternal completeness found in Jesus.
But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Spirit,
keep yourselves in the love of God,
waiting expectantly for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life.
Jude 21