Do you like flossing? I don’t. I rarely floss unless I have eaten corn on the cob or spareribs or have otherwise gotten something stuck between my teeth that is bothering me. It would be better if I flossed each day to remove every last little bit of junk that might be stuck there. That junk is what causes decay and long-term problems… and expensive dental work.
Which brings me to the other day. I was praying and confessing my sin to the Lord. I wanted – more than that, I longed – to be pure as Jesus is pure. But the closer I looked at my heart, the more junk I found. Then this image of flossing came to mind and I prayed, “Holy Spirit, I need you to help me floss my heart. I need you to get into every crack and crevice. This is more than just a surface brushing … I need you to get into the toughest-to-reach places of my soul. I need you to help me get rid of all sin, no matter how small it may appear, no matter how hidden it is. Unless it is cleaned out, it will cause spiritual decay. I want to avoid costly and painful spiritual dental work down the road … that’s why I’m asking you to help me floss today and every day.“
1 John 3:3 exhorts us: “Everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”
I think I’ll go and floss now. How about you?