It's Time to Clean House

Two years ago, I did a Bible Study at the Catholic church. I thought God had led me there to learn more about the Catholic faith. However, God had a deeper purpose in mind. He wanted to show me what the light and hope of Christ looks like in the midst of suffering.
There were over 90 people participating in this study. It would entail thirty weeks of reading and studying the Bible. I didn’t know anyone except for a friend who invited me to be a part of her small discussion group. About three weeks into the study, our small group was reviewing questions when I noticed a woman enter the room. She headed our direction and by her physical appearance, I could tell she was going through difficulty. Everyone greeted her with hugs as she sat down next to me. We smiled and introduced ourselves. Her name was Kathy. She was asked to update everyone on her condition and that’s when I learned she was battling a rare form of cancer. MD Anderson had turned her away, claiming there was nothing more they could do. They said she only had a few months to live. I looked at the sad expressions of the people in our group as we quietly listened to her story. I could tell Kathy was looking for hope, but unfortunately our faces left her feeling more hopeless. My heart became stirred with emotion and I found myself boldly proclaiming her hope was not to be found in man but in Christ. I told her cancer didn’t have a claim on her life. Despite what MD Anderson believed, only God determines the day we’re born and only God determines the day we return to our heavenly home. From that moment, Kathy and I became dear friends. She graciously allowed me to be a part of her journey in her fight against this disease. Kathy was a wife and mother of young children and I could tell she was going to fight this disease as long as God would permit.
God’s plan was different from MD Anderson’s. They had given her months, however God gave her an additional three years. During that time, her faith became stronger. Never once did she ever become angry with God, wondering why this was happening to her. I’m afraid I would have fallen down that path of self pity and hopelessness but Kathy was a vision of strength. Her love for Christ grew and His love for her shined in her smile.
I will never forget when we were approaching the end of her journey how her body had become weakened and her liver was no longer able to function properly. I showed up at her house with her favorite flavored smoothie and we sat quietly on her bed, pondering what words if any would bring comfort?
That’s when she looked at me and said, “Well, I guess it’s time to clean house.” I’m sure my expression looked perplexed as I wondered why cleaning her house was so important at this moment. But “cleaning her house” wasn’t what she meant literally. She wanted to clean her heart of any remaining sin so that when Jesus came for her, she wouldn’t feel ashamed to be in His presence. I was so deeply moved by her words. Even a disease can be a blessing by allowing people time to make things right with God. From that moment on, gratefulness and thankfulness filled her prayers as she began experiencing the washing away of her sins and transgressions.I looked at my own life and realized that each and every moment should be about cleaning my own house. So many lives are taken in an instant and sadly many never repent of their sinful nature.
My last moment with Kathy was bathing her. As I washed her feet, tears of both joy and sadness fell onto my hands as she faintly said to me, “God loves you.”
Isn't it amazing how much God loves us despite the filthiness of our sins!
Thank you Lord for Kathy and all the other Saints you’ve placed in my life. May today be the beginning of cleaning out my old sinful heart and through You, receiving new life through Christ our Lord. Thank you for Your forgiveness, mercy and love. May every day be one of living righteously and holy in Your sight so that when we see You face to face, we will joyfully and confidently run to Your arms with a clean heart. Jesus provides the way, the truth and life! Let us all begin today cleaning our houses!

“What comes out of a man is what makes him unclean. For from within, out of men’s hearts come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean.”
Mark 7:20-23