People differ. I work with lots of noise. I put music on in the background to get me in the right frame of mind. My mom always begged me to play my music softer.

Renata, my better half, is the complete opposite. She prefers quiet. Sometimes, I even have to switch off the miniscule waterfall next to my study because the sound bothers her.

Once, Renata had the opportunity to go and write in the silence of the South Coast bush. This fits her like a glove and she managed to drive a number of pieces from the keyboard.

I was at home in charge of the usual daily chores. I’m quite the expert. I could even manage the tenant’s dishes, because we’ve got a dishwasher to do it. By the third day the machine was full and I switched it on.

But when it was time to unpack it, I realised with a shock that all the dishes were still really dirty. Then I remembered Renata said I had to rinse them first. At the time, I wondered why one wouldn’t just wash them in the sink then? It was like doing double work.

Now I had to redo the dishes anyway.

After three more days there was a heap of dishes again, enough to fill the dishwasher. I caught sight of the programme selector button and saw one was for very dirty dishes. I decided to try it. Bravely, I even put the greasy pots and pans in, holding thumbs there would be no second wash this time around.

I was feeling kind of stressed out when I opened the door after the machine had completed the wash cycle. My glasses got all steamed up from the heat escaping from the machine. As the mist disappeared, I picked the bowls up one by one. Sparkling clean! Eish, I was happy!

When I picked up the greasy pan and turned it around for inspection, it looked almost new. Not a dirty, greasy spot in sight. The dishwasher had done its work perfectly.

This is exactly what Jesus does with our dirty, greasy spots. He washed it all away.  Like the verse says: ²¹Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God.

Do you believe it? Do you live it? Do others see it in your life?

Don’t let your past haunt you; it has been washed clean in the dishwasher, or to put it in Biblical terms: Jesus’ blood on the cross washed away the punishment that we deserved for all the bad things we do.

Believe it! Live it, so that others can see the way Jesus washes.

Scripture
Hebrews 10:19-25

Reflection
How clean is your life?
Have you confessed it to Jesus?
Do you believe and live Jesus’ cleaning in your life?

Prayer
Jesus, thank you for the cleaning and the washing. Thank you that I can be part of it. I believe that it is sufficient for the many sins I’ve done. Please help me live it and show others what You’ve done for us. Amen.