poop on the floor

2 Samuel 20:1-26, Psalm 140, 1 Chronicles 22:1-19, Psalm 29, 30

 

When I went into the living room to let my dog out this morning, I was greeted by a certain unmistakable fragrance.  It didn't take long to find a certain deposit located by the front door (at least he made it to the tile instead of the carpet).  As my wife and I approached to clean it up, I gagged strongly, and I almost made an even nastier mess. Fortunately for me, my wife has a tough stomach, so after teasing me a little, she finished cleaning up that horribly smelling mess.  Of course, I wouldn't share this without tying it in to my Bible reading, because that would just be gratuitous.

 

Joab cooperated when King David tried to cover up his mess with Bathsheba, and Joab wasn't the same after that (or maybe that's why King David asked him to do it in the first place).  Then when King David explicitly told Joab not to hurt Absolom, but as soon as Joab got the chance, he ran Absolom through with several javelins.  Then King David appointed Amasa in charge of his army, and Joab sliced Amasa's belly open and spilled his guts out. 

 

This progression with Joab is like poop on the floor. It's disgusting.  It stinks.  The more you think about it, the worse it gets.  You just can't get that penetrating scent out of your nostrils.  Unfortunately for Joab, he started "puking" after smelling the poop and making the mess even worse. 

 

What's the difference between Joab and King David?  King David begged God to break out the Clorox bleach and clean him up.  King David called in someone who could handle the mess to clean it up so that life could resume and you could walk through the front door without smearing poop all over the place.  The mess is gone, the smell is gone, and all that remains is the memory.  This drives us to humble gratefulness.

 

As I consider how God has cleaned up my life, how He has almost taken the smell away, I am humbled by His grace.  He has been so kind.  The pure blood of Jesus Christ has washed away my sin and left me spotless, as white as snow.  His Holy Spirit has been working inside my heart to turn me toward Him.  My attitude is similar to King David's expression in Psalm 30:

 1 I will exalt you, O LORD,

       for you lifted me out of the depths

       and did not let my enemies gloat over me.

 2 O LORD my God, I called to you for help

       and you healed me.

 3 O LORD, you brought me up from the grave;

       you spared me from going down into the pit.

 4 Sing to the LORD, you saints of his;

       praise his holy name. ...

 10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me;

       O LORD, be my help."

 11 You turned my wailing into dancing;

       you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

 12 that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.

       O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.

And as King David instructed his son Solomon, so I will strive:

22:19 Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD."

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for the incredible mercy and grace you have shown me.  Thank you for cleaning up all of the messes I've made and leading me to a closer walk with you.  I want to glorify and honor you.  I want to bring praise to your Holy Name, Yahweh.  I devote my heart and soul to seeking you, my God.  I pray that you will continue to build me into a pure and holy sanctuary for you that your presence will fill me and operate through me.  I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.