God Sends Us Through the Heavy-Duty Laundry Cycle

Doing the laundry is one of the classic family chores. In our family we had a part in the process when we were young, mostly in the clothes-folding stage after the clothes were cleaned and dried.

Most don’t relish the idea of having to do laundry, but we’re very aware life would be far less pleasant if we didn’t. Even just wearing the same socks two days in a row is enough to make us uncomfortable!

Different cultures have found ways to clean their clothes. In Europe there were communal areas in town where neighbors would gather to wash their garments in outdoor pools of water. That likely is still the method in some parts of the world. A few generations ago in our country there were ways to do laundry at home, but they required a large amount of manual labor. Mechanized washing and drying machines have changed that completely, although now we have more sets of clothing to wash than in the past.

The ancient Israelites would use an alkaline mixture likely from plants for the same purpose. God uses that picture in the book of Malachi to show his judgment on sin through the arrival of his messenger, Jesus Christ. But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. (Malachi 3:2)

The people of Israel were complaining that God allowed sinners to flourish without seeming to care. God replies, “Not so fast! Sinners who do not repent are not getting away with their sinful actions. I myself will arrive as a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.” So I will come to put you on trial (Malachi 3:5).

The messenger confronts us all. We are called to repentance and cleansing. We can scrub and scrub, and scrub some more, but none of our cleansing agents will work. Although you wash yourself with soap and use an abundance of cleansing powder, the stain of your guilt is still before me,” declares the Sovereign Lord. (Jeremiah 2:22) We trust in God’s full cleansing in Jesus!

The spiritual laundry cycle of God’s preaching of the law to our hearts may leave us bruised and worn out. It’s necessary so we look to Christ, our Savior. Examine your hearts and live in repentance. Cleansing in ours in Jesus so we are able to endure with joy the day of his coming.

“I the Lord do not change. … Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty (Malachi 3:6-7).