Cleaned Up and Decorated

"When an unclean spirit leaves a person, it wanders through dry places looking for a place to rest.  But it doesn't find any.  Then it says, 'I'll go back to the house I left.'  When it arrives it finds the house cleaned up and decorated.  Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself.  They go in and make their home there ..."  Luke 11:24-26a (CEB)


Jesus has been talking about spiritual awareness and preparation when this passage shows up in Luke's gospel.  The frankness of Jesus' warning is disturbing at the least.  Two challenges I hear in his brief exchange around unclean spirits in the average Joe and Jane ...

One, WHEN an unclean spirit leaves makes it sound like the coming and going of such is no surprise, at least to Jesus.  His words are a reminder to me that Pierre Tielhard de Chardin's words are true:  "we are not human beings have a spiritual experience; we have spiritual beings having a human experience."  There is constantly spirit-ual work going on around us and within us, but often I'm just glad to get through the day fairly unscathed and give no thought to what or Who drives, leads, guides, teaches, pushes, influences and companions me. 

Second, when 'someone' is finally rid of that unclean spirit ... you/I have to do more than tidy up in order to gain ground.  I love the CEB translation as it describes the house as "cleaned up and decorated."  It's almost as if Jesus is hinting at the kind of fasting that folks like me often participate in.  I uncomfortably deprive myself of something that is of little consequence to me (chip and dip, etc.) but replace it with nothing that's specifically and especially of God (more time in the Word, or praying, or serving the poor, etc.).   Almost like I'm holding my breath until I can get through the season.  I clean myself up, decorate the place, but it's still as empty as can be.  Jesus talks about insides and outsides with the Pharisees, challenging them to remember that just because the inside is hidden doesn't mean that it won't be known for what it is.  That spirit that's still looking for a place to reside will appreciate the new decor, the spring-cleaning that makes it more comfortable to take up residence in the space that hasn't changed emotionally, mentally, or spiritually.

Jesus' words are a great reminder for me that if there's not more of Jesus in me as I grow in Him, the changes are little more than sprucing up and redecorating.  I want Jesus to live in every corner of who I am ... but, that's gonna mean I've got to let him see the cobwebs and junk drawers that, until now, I would have sworn didn't exist.

Lord Jesus, come into every corner of my life.  Convert every corner and every closet and drawer of my life into your residence.  May the world look at me and know that I belong to you because of my words, my attitudes, my actions, my countenance.  Boy, do you have your work cut out for you - cleaning all the junk out.  I'm glad to help, but you'll have to push me because I'm embarrassed and afraid of what I see in me.  But, I don't the void to be left.  No kidding, fill me with the Spirit so that there is only room for your peace, your grace, your love ... for you.  Let it be so.