Despite a groundhog’s forecast of six more weeks of winter, it won’t be long until spring cleaning time. Many of us will be cleaning out attics and closets and getting rid of things no longer wanted or needed. There’s an account in John 2:13ff in which Jesus did some spring cleaning (“the Passover of the Jews was at hand”) of His Father’s house. Also, in this text, Jesus refers to His body as a temple which the Jews are going to temporarily destroy.
Likewise, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) and God’s Spirit dwells in us as Christians. Remember Paul’s stirring words in Galatians 2:20? “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” It is unimaginable that deity dwells in us!
Is it possible that we need to do some spiritual “spring cleaning”? I don’t mention this with fingers pointing – except at myself. Rather, this should be an almost daily exercise as we reflect on our relationship with our Creator and Savior. Are we conforming to Christ’s image (Romans 8:29)? Is our light shining as it should (Matthew 5:16)? As we examine ourselves, are we in the faith and is Jesus Christ in us (2 Corinthians 13:5)?
If we are Christians – if we are in Christ, we have been set free from sin. As a result, we should be slaves of righteousness and slaves of God (Romans 6:18, 22). Who is the biggest beneficiary of our time, energy, wealth, and talents?