Loosen your grip, for there's crud between your fingers.

Take a good hard look at the picture above.  You see a little girl tightening everything in her body with all the might she can muster.  Her neck is recoiled, her fingers are clenched, her legs are extended and her toes are squished together.  While this may be quite cute for a picture, it makes for a rather difficult bath experience.  You see, her natural reactions to the cold air (or other unknown discomforts) make it almost impossible to wash out her deepest, filthiest, and stinkiest areas.  The areas she maintains a tight grip on all day long.  The areas that accumulate fuzz and spit up.  You might never know this, but the neck, armpits, and between fingers and toes can be the smelliest places on a baby!  But for new parents during the first week, we were so quick to get her in and out without screaming that we failed to notice those "clenched" areas.  That was until we lifted that armpit one day and noticed the build up!  Gross!

If you look close, you can see the fuzzy build up that she's been hiding.

You see, I can't help but notice the parallel.  As believers we see the need to be cleansed from our sin, to be washed and refreshed in his Word.  We even realize the fact that it's God who is doing the cleansing, dependent on His truths to penetrate our hearts and wash us from within.  But very much like our precious daughter, once the scrub is getting deeper, more personal, a little more unnatural and invasive, we recoil.  We clench.  We tighten with all the muscles we have.  We're okay with being washed, but not like THAT.

Anybody else out there relate to me in that you like to have a tight grip on things?  Like to have control?  Like to be able to set expectations and see them come through JUST the way you planned it?  We often hear how controlling people need to be "freed" and let God make the plans for our life.  But have we ever thought that we sometimes control how God cleanses our hearts?  I know for myself, I have found that in my prayers of repentance I will ask to be washed of the general bad attitude, backward priorities, and need to spend more time with Him.

But what if He wants to scrub DEEPER?  

Do we have our proverbial clenched fists holding fast to a build up of deeper issues?  Typically, since we are so focused on the grip and control, we fail to even notice the "crud between our fingers".   

In my tight grip on having a natural birth, was I failing to see the build up of not trusting God?

In my clenched fist of  scheduled to-do lists, am I ignoring a build up of working in my own strength?

In my recoiled pose of keeping a clean home, am I unable to see the build up of perfectionism?

The list could go on as we subconsciously hold on to bitterness, pride, and other things repulsive to the heart of  God (hopefully not looking like lint and smelling like toe jam!)

It all boils down to how MUCH are we willing to surrender?  Are we willing to be cleansed without tension, allowing Him to pry apart the areas in our lives that we give a vice like grip?  Let's ask Him to clean us deep, seeking out the secret areas.  Let's let go of control, and I will guarantee you'll be surprised with what He'll find hiding.  Rest in His arms and let Him go deep.  It's worth it.

The look of true "cleansing surrender".

"Tomorrow's freedom is today's surrender" - All Sons and Daughters

My song and prayer when I'm asking Him to "go deeper"

(Jonah33 "Search Me, Know Me")

Search me know me, try me and see

Any worthless affection hidden in me.

All I'm asking for, is that you'd cleanse me Lord.

Create in me a heart that's clean.

Conquer the power of secret shame.

Come wash away the guilty stain of all my sin.

Clothe me in robes of righteousness.

Cover my nakedness with grace.

All of my life before you now, I humbly bring.