"This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth,
and honoureth me with their lips;
but their heart is far from me." - Matthew 7:18

We knew it was going to happen sooner or later.

It turned out to be sooner.

A few weeks ago our refrigerator (which was a 1989 model) finally did the inevitable and stopped working.  It simply would not longer keep our foods cold.

So, we did the only thing we could do, we purchased a new one.  The guys at the appliance store told us they would deliver the new one to our home in a couple of days.  So, we began preparing the old one for them to discard.

Now, here is where the interesting thing began to play out before my eyes.  I noticed that the outside of the old refrigerator looked very good.  In fact, the initial repairman who looked at it, said it looked very good for a 12 year old refrigerator.  There wasn't much dirt to be seen.  No obvious dents or flaws.  It was adorned with the usual refrigerator "stuff" like pictures and drawings and reminders.

It looked very good on the outside...

...but the inside was a different story.

On the inside, the refrigerator had become dirty.  Through neglect, on our part, we had allowed areas of the inside of the refrigerator to lose their luster and grime had began to form.  It didn't happen overnight, just kind of settled in through time.  And it happened because we simply didn't take the time to clean it on a regular basis.

You know, sometimes I find that our lives as believers in Christ Jesus are kind of like that refrigerator.

On the outside, everything looks good.  In fact, very good.  There isn't much dirt to be seen.  No obvious dents or flaws.  We go to church.  We teach Sunday School.  We attend prayer meetings.  And we say a prayer before every meal.  And we're adorned with the usual Christian "stuff" - t-shirts, WWJD bracelets, that little fish on the back of our car and we carry a Bible around in the back seat.

We look very good on the outside...

...but what about the inside?

If we're not careful, we'll become like the Pharisees.  On the outside, they looked good.  They honored God "with their lips."  Went through all the right motions.  But, on the inside, "their hearts were far from Him." 

You see, if we're not careful, through neglect, we will allow some areas of our insides to lose their luster and grime will begin to form.  Of course, it doesn't happen over time, just kind of settles in through time - a little ill well here, a little jealousy there, a little indifference here.  And soon we are numb and insensitive to what God is speaking to us about.  And it happens simply because we don't take the time to be cleansed on a regular basis.

Christian, it's self-examination time.  Maybe this morning you are clean on both the outside AND the inside.  Good for you.  Praise the Lord for it and begin praying for others who are not.

But, maybe this morning there is a difference in appearance between the inside and the outside.  Perhaps, in the corners of the refrigerator of your heart, dust has begun to settle in.  Perhaps the grime of sin has begun to form on the walls of your heart.  If so, it's time to be cleansed.  Simply ask the Lord Jesus to forgive you and restore that wonderful fellowship with Him this morning.

What about it, my friend?  Does you inside and outside match in cleanliness?

Have a "Wonderful DAY in Christ,"
Jimmy D. Brown
\o/ Praise Jesus!