Today’s Podcast
Today’s Bible reading plan:
Read it in a year – Ecclesiastes 5-6
see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)
Today’s Devotional
Luke 11:42-44
Jesus: Woe to you, Pharisees! Judgment will come on you! You are fastidious about tithing—keeping account of every little leaf of mint and herb—but you neglect what really matters: justice and the love of God! If you’d get straight on what really matters, then your fastidiousness about little things would be worth something.
Woe to you, Pharisees! Judgment will come on you! What you really love is having people fawn over you when you take the seat of honor in the synagogue or when you are greeted in the public market.
Wake up! See what you’ve become! Woe to you; you’re like a field full of unmarked graves. People walk on the field and have no idea of the corruption that’s a few inches beneath their feet.
What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?
Some of you might remember the radio show, Molly and Fibber McGee. One of the most memorable things about the show happened rarely, but often enough that it became one of the hallmarks of the show. It has gone down as the historic way of identifying the whole series of weekly episodes. Whenever you mention Fibber McGee’s closet, people immediately think of that show and the times Fibber or Molly would open the hall closet door and you would hear the sound effect of falling objects fill the airwaves for the next two or three minutes. It sounded like everything but the kitchen sink, and maybe that too, was stuffed into that closet away from view.
It reminds me of a few people I know who keep impeccably clean houses. Spotless in every corner. So clean you could eat off the floors. But don’t open a drawer or a closet. Those are a disaster. Everything you can see is in perfect order, but when there is a closed door, behind it, expect a chaos.
A lot of people’s lives are like that, too. You might think things are perfect for them. They have the perfect house. The perfect cars. The perfect job. The perfect family. Everything looks good. But on the inside, there is nothing but turmoil. Inside the chaos that runs around their head and spirit every day crushes them. The smile they wear on the outside is just a mask for the agony they feel on the inside. The closets in their lives where the guilt and shame stays hidden away from the world are as full as Fibber McGee’s closet just waiting for someone to open the door and come gushing out for all the world to see.
The follower of Jesus who has repented, opened all those doors to let Him clean them out and get rid of all that guilt and shame is okay with opening all those doors, though. Paul said it in these words, “Therefore, now no condemnation awaits those who are living in Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King, because when you live in the Anointed One, Jesus, a new law takes effect. The law of the Spirit of life breathes into you and liberates you from the law of sin and death.”
We can open the closet doors and it’s okay for others to peak inside because the guilt is gone. The sin is forgiven. Jesus has swept our lives clean and given us a new lease on life. Satan tries to get us to close some of those doors and hide things away. But don’t keep them open. Let God shine His searchlight into the deepest, darkest corners of those closets and keep them cleaned out. It’s the only way to have real peace and joy and the abundant life Jesus talks about in His word.
The Pharisees tried to look prim and proper and keep all those external appearances up for everyone who could watch them. They didn’t know Jesus could see into the recesses of their spirit. But He could. He could open their Fibber’s closet door and watch the cascade of junk come tumbling out onto the floor. He could see all the things they tried to hide from everyone else. He knew their heart and wouldn’t let them keep their facade.
Jesus does the same with each of us. We might keep up appearances for a long time with those who see us occasionally or even see us a lot. But Jesus sees through us. He knows us intimately. He knows all our hidden secrets and opens the doors even we have forgotten about to reveal the things we need Him to sweep out of our lives. And He always comes with a bright light and a broom. He’s ready to clean out all those cobwebs and dirty corners. But He won’t go where He is not invited. Until we invite Him in to do His work in our lives, He remains on the outside and just knocks at the door asking to come in. Only when we open the door of our hearts and lives will He enter to do His work.
So what will it be for you? Will you continue to let Fibber McGee’s closet be the description of your life with all the junk that needs cleaned out? Or will you let the One who can purify your life from the inside out take charge and become the Lord of your life. All you have to do is open the door and let Him in. What do you say?
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