#Jesus22 - Daily DevotionalsSample

Before an Israeli afflicted with leprosy was considered "clean," he had to part with everything that was afflicted with the disease. The hair, the beard, even the eyebrows had to be shaved off. The clothes and the person himself had to be washed. In other words, everything that had been touched in any way when infected had to be removed. Not only must the person himself be cleansed -- also the immediate environment of the person. This action is similar to another action from the Bible: on the last night when the people of Israel were living in Egypt, they were to prepare themselves for God’s deliverance. God wanted to lead His people to a new life, and He, the holy God, wanted to lead His people to a new land -- out of the land that was unholy. To do this, He gave them several instructions for preparation. One instruction was to cleanse the house of leavened bread.

Why? Because leavened bread was symbolic of life in Egypt. It was not enough to throw the rest of the bread into the trash can or give it to the dog. Nor was it enough to simply sweep through it briefly. Not a crumb should be left.

In connection to this, I am reminded of the classic spring cleaning: you've had enough of the cold winter, enough of bare and colorless trees. You have started cleaning, tidying, and redecorating. The joy of spring comes: new life, bright colors, and warmth. The cleaning itself is exhausting and tedious, but the anticipation of the new drives us. The old dirt has to come out. All three actions make one thing clear: the old, dirty (unclean), unholy is to be replaced by purity, health, and something new.

How about looking through your own house for “remaining leaven bread” during this week? Where are there things that still remind you of your past? This week, let's tidy up, clean, and welcome the spiritual springtime so that the Holy Spirit will breathe in a new, pure life! Over the next few days, we will look at different areas where we can do this and go deeper. Spring is just around the corner.

ACTION STEP

This week, consciously clean your house and invite the Holy Spirit to show you where the "old" is still hidden. Give it to Him and ask Him to breathe new life into it.