I am struck by how dirty a house can get in such a short time.  I have been spring cleaning for the past two days and haven’t gotten beyond one or two rooms!  I know that I have been neglecting the house but this is ridiculous!  It is quite the same as our hearts…you knew I had to go there didn’t you?  If we neglect them they build up with trash and dirt…sin.  You know what I mean.  Not blatant things, not even terrible things…but things that keep us from God.  Then we are lonely, or bitter and we wonder how we got to this place.  We really shouldn’t wonder…because deep down we know.  I am not talking about a performance here…not a checklist that you must do to be a “good Christain”…but a relationship.  We have all had enough checklists for a lifetime.  No I am talking about time spent allowing God to change you. Humbling ourselves by facing ourselves. He loves it when we do that.  He brings forgiveness when we cannot do it.  He is a constant companion when the rest of the world has abandoned you.  He brings hope into fearful situations and life instead of death.  Yet we still close our hearts to him…or maybe not all of our hearts…just one or two rooms.  We don’t want him to go there and see the dirt we have let build up.  We are embarassed but, in this Easter season, his blood is available to do a deep clean…actually it is available every minute of every day.  We are the ones that need a special day like Easter to mark our beginnings.  His mercies are new every morning.  What better time than to clean out and begin anew, than today?