Washing and drying the laundry is not one of my favorite chores. When my children were younger, I needed to do the laundry several times a week. I felt a sense of accomplishment once I completed this task. However, as soon as the job was done, someone would throw in more dirty clothes, and I had to start the process all over again. It felt like a never-ending job.
The Chore of Washing
A few years ago, I found a reason to stop complaining as much about this task. What changed my attitude? I saw women in other countries do their laundry, and that changed my opinion. My laundry process felt so simple compared to the method for laundry in some nations. I just throw my things into a washing machine, press a few buttons, and then sit back and wait. I think I dislike the fact that washing is an endless chore.
In many developing countries, doing the laundry can be a several-day process. It starts with collecting buckets of water or washing things directly in the river. Next, the women bend over a bucket or river to scrub all the clothes by hand. Finally, they rinse the items, wring them out, and then hang them somewhere to dry. Sometimes the river water is so muddy that all their white things turn a dirty brown so that they never look clean. The task is backbreaking.
Jesus and Washing
Jesus also experienced the chore of washing things during His ministry. In John 13:12, we see the account of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples; “When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. Do you understand what I have done for you? he asked them.” Jesus labored over this chore just like any worker. He used a basin of water filled from a nearby river. Our Lord bent over each person to wash their feet and then rubbed them dry. The account provides a beautiful picture of a chore done in love. It provides us with the example of doing everything, even jobs we dislike, with love.
Other Examples
Jesus’ life shows us another example of how He washes us with His love. As shown in Titus 3:5, “he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” Jesus washes away our sins. His death on the cross provides us a cleaning that never needs to be repeated. And, this cleansing requires minimal effort on our part; we just have to ask the Lord to forgive our sins and then ask Him to enter our hearts and wash away our sins. And, we do not need to do any backbreaking work to receive this gift of His great mercy. So, we just need to repent of our sins and allow Him to wash us clean.
Today is a good day to begin again. Once God does the laundry, we will remain spotless for all eternity.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for washing us clean of our sins and giving us new life in you. Help us always follow your example of being a joyful servant to those around us and do so with a cheerful heart. Amen
Do you need prayer? I would love to pray for you. Submit your prayer request on my website at https://yvonne-morgan.com/submit-your-prayer-request-here/
Grace and Peace to you,
Yvonne M. Morgan is a Christian #author, #blogger, and #speaker. #BibleGatewayPartner
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
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This is a great mystery – that God does not see the stains of sin in our lives! He truly has washed it away, via the blood of Christ, and for that, I am eternally grateful. Thanks for the practical application of this wonderful truth!
You are welcome Lisa. I appreciate your comment. The greatest part of the mystery is how God can love us so much. What an amazing blessing.
I love your description of the task women in some other countries do. God’s work is much better, more effective, than ours ever can be. Great post!
Thanks so much Nancy. We learn so much from other cultures. Thanks for visiting. God bless
Being washed clean by the Savior is one of the greatest gifts in our lives. Our sins forgiven, the list of wrongs erased, and all because Jesus was willing to do the hard task required for our sanctification. I’m so grateful! These pictures you’ve presented make this vividly clear.
My husband has traveled to India five times. His laundry is often washed in the river. Paying a poor woman to do his laundry gives him two things — relatively clean laundry and the opportunity to help provide for a poor family. Both are very good things!
We usually hire someone to do our laundry when we go on mission trips for the same reasons as your husband. Seeing their process drives home the cleaning process. Thank you Jesus.
Better than Fuller’s soap my friend! Loved this inspiring post. Have been doing lots of laundry of late myself, both physical and spiritual. God’s blessings my friend.
Have not thought about Fuller soap in a long time, lol. Lots of people won’t know what that means. Thanks JD. Keeping our inside clean requires some time with God daily. God bless.
Grateful on multiple levels – both spiritually for our eternal cleansing and physically because I get to press those same washing machine buttons!
When I compare our process to other countries, sometimes I feel like George Jetson when I push the buttons on my machine to do the laundry. Thanks Ava. God bless.
I love this! I remember being so grateful for my washing machine after I saw how others washed clothes in other nations. And I’m even more grateful God gives us an opportunity to be washed clean in Jesus!
Thanks Jessica
What a wonderful message! How often do we think of how we are washed clean by the blood of the lamb? I’m thankful to be able to wash clothes. But, I am more thankful to be washed clean by Him. 🙂
Thanks Melissa
Enjoyed this analogy, Yvonne. In college, I had a roommate one year who would put pj’s on or want to borrow someone else’s shorts and t-shirt so she could wash everything that was dirty and everything would be clean all at one time. 🙂 So thankful the Lord washes us clean through his love.
Me too Karen. Godly cleaning is the best kind. Thanks for commenting