Car Wash

For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. Romans 10:3-4

I wish I was one of those people that love washing. Any kind of washing really: dishes, clothes, self...it’s a wet/dry thing; trust me. Vehicles are the worst. The blowing dust, dirt roads and winter ice melt all make for a nice hazy sheen that regularly adorns my van. Summer is great because I recruit the boys to soak it down and scrub, but otherwise it’s too cold and I can’t trust them to not soak each other.
So now it’s really bad. After months of procrastination, I head to an automatic car wash, pay, pull thru the line and am stopped by the attendant. Sitting at the starting block watching the corridor of swirling motion ahead feels like waiting to walk into Pee Wee’s playhouse. Enough of that; focus on the guy waving his hands at me. 
This man is an excellent candidate for a charades competition. Pointing and directing, he silently guides me forward. A little left, turn that wheel, up some more...now stop. Then he points to the list of rules: arms inside, windows up, mirrors folded, antenna down, van in neutral. Check, check, ready to go. Not quite. He knocks on my window and points again to the bottom: hands off the steering wheel. Now I can go.
As I sit still in my moving car, I’m reminded of Jesus. I drove up to this car wash, paid my dues, listened to the attendant and followed all the rules knowing that the outcome would be a clean van. However, until I took my hands off the wheel and trusted the tire catch to pull me through, nothing changed. 
Same with faith, I can go to church, pay my dues, listen to the pastor and follow all the rules, but that only gets me to the right starting place. I have to let go and give my life over to Jesus to pull me through the wash. What a blessing to come out clean on the other side.

Are you still trying to make yourself clean?
What is hindering you from letting go and turning your life completely over to Jesus?
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Father, thank you that you do all the dirty work. When I let go and give you control,
​you take my filthy sin and wash it away. Your payment for my sin on the cross was enough.
Help me to rest secure knowing you are in the driver's seat and I am clean.