A Lesson in God's Love From My Oven

Hello, friends! Please welcome back to the blog Hannah Clements, my dear friend who carries joy and wisdom like a mantle. Listen in as she learns a lesson in God's goodness from...her oven. 

My oven is old, I like to think vintage, maybe an antique.

My oven is impossible to clean. It holds years of meals and burnt grease. When the oven light is off, it appears clean(er). It hides its stains and grime in the darkness. The oven light exposes its true character.

Today, the light exposed burnt spaghetti sauce, a popcorn kernel, and an occasional husky hair amongst its old grease. I saw the mess and was tempted to turn the light off and let it linger in the darkness, but I have dinner guest coming and a messy oven won't do.

While wiping away grease and grime, God reminded me that light exposes our sin.

"Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and dispose the motives of men's hearts, and then each man's praise will come to Him from God." 1 Corinthians 4:5. 

We may think we are hiding in the darkness but nothing can separate us from God's love. Light pierces darkness:

"The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it." John 1:5 

Praise Jesus because He doesn't just expose our mess and grime but He stays around to clean and restore us. Psalm 51:7 says, "Purify me from my sins and I will be whiter than snow."

Praise Him because He doesn't turn a blind eye on our darkness but He cleanses us - loving us too much to let us remain in the our dirty form.

Oh Lord, "Search me and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life." Psalm 139:23-24

Amen.