I am quite amazed at how these new washing machines can wash our laundry noiselessly with little water. I often wonder if the machine can ever clean all the dirty work and sports clothes. Not to mention my dirty work clothes after working in the garden on Saturdays. 

When I walk past the washing line later, I’m amazed at how clean the machine got the clothes. They almost look brand new. Water and soap are a formidable team. 

In Noah’s day, water was the sign of life and death. The people who didn’t listen to Noah and didn’t prepare for the floods were killed by the water. Those who were with him in the ark survived. 

At baptism, the water is also a sign of life and death. Note: the water did not wash away our sins but is a sign of what is happening to us spiritually. Peter explains it so beautifully: 21The waters of baptism do that for you, not by washing away dirt from your skin but by presenting you through Jesus’ resurrection before God with a clear conscience.  

It’s such a shame that many people don’t make the choice. So many people don’t care about the filth they live in. They don’t worry about it. Almost like pigs that live quite happily in mud and slush. 

Pigs don’t know that they live in mud and slush, so they don’t care. In the same way, the people who don’t choose God hardly care that they live in the dark. They are content with that and don’t even try to find the light. 

Fortunately, the Holy Spirit helped us to see that there is a much better life. But first we had to realise that the mud and slush are not for us. We had to confess it to God and ask that He help us get out of it. 

However, mud and slush tend to run back into the hole that is caused. Have you ever tried to empty a small pond with a can? If you don’t throw the water away far enough, it trickles back into the pond and then you just must scoop it up again. 

We must realise that sin wants to come back into our lives again and again. Worldly things tempt us and every now and then we wonder if it isn’t more fun to try those things again. 

This is a reality in every Christian’s life. We must go to God again and again with the dirty bucket of mud and slush and confess our sins. God will forgive us and wash us clean again. 

The only question is: What can you and I do to make sure that we throw the mud and slush away far enough that it doesn’t trickle back again? 

Scripture
1 Peter 3:19-22 

Reflect
What mud and slush are there with you?
When do you take it to God?
How can you stop it from trickling back? 

Prayer
Father, here is my bag of mud and slush. Cleanse me and help me not to let the mud and slush back into my life again. I ask this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.