Cleaning Lady

 by Macy Johnson

“Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him,

asked me, ‘How long will your journey take,

and when will you get back?’

It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.”

(Nehemiah 2:6 NIV)

 

I walked into the Sav-A-Life crisis pregnancy center office one wintry afternoon. “I am here to clean your toilets or do whatever is needed,” I told the administrator. “Who are you?” she asked. After I explained who I was, she said, “We don’t need a cleaning lady, we need you on our Board!” That was the beginning of my service with Sav-A-Life in Birmingham.

The memory of that time hit me between the eyes one recent morning. I was asked to replace the retiring Treasurer of our church and found the task more daunting than I expected. The puzzle picture for this ominous assignment had eluded my visual grasp. I found myself mentally crawling around, seeking to find pieces I had overlooked.  

 

It dawned on me. I am God’s cleaning lady! He shines his crystal-clear light into the foggy places of my mind. He helps me to see the dust and dirt. He guides me through the challenges and gives me courage to continue.

 

I love picking things apart and putting them back together. Like Nehemiah, I must examine the wall first before I can repair it. As a documentation specialist, my assignment is to get any task ready for the next person to step in and effortlessly process.

 

I took a deep breath and jumped in with both feet, knowing the Holy Spirit was holding the safety net for me. He wanted me to enjoy this experience with Him. It was a privilege, not a pain.

 

I will faithfully complete all cleaning tasks my heavenly Father gives to me. I hope you will, too!