Under the Rainbow

I’m so embarrassed.

I’m not talking a little blush, here. I may have to move to another town. Seriously.

You see, I got a new vacuum cleaner a couple of weeks ago. Not just any vacuum cleaner, either. I got a Rainbow. Top of the line.

Actually, it’s a twenty-year-old model that’s been rebuilt, but still. Any Rainbow is better than the old bag of wind I had been using.

I filled the canister with water and went to work. I even moved my furniture around so I could vacuum underneath. I’d vacuumed one and a half rooms, and I did something I probably shouldn’t have done. I decided to take a peek at that water.

Ugh!

One and a half rooms, and you would not believe the mud and gunk that was in that canister. It was quite possibly the nastiest thing I’ve ever seen.

Well, I emptied it out, filled it up with clean water, and continued.

Three times, people! Three times I emptied black, gooey mud out of that canister.

And to think, I’ve had guests in my home. With all that stuff hiding down in my carpets. And my poor children have been living here in the midst of it! I am unfit, I tell you.

I finally called it quits. I hauled the vacuum into its hiding place, then walked around my house and admired my handiwork. It was almost like getting new carpet. Everything looked and smelled fresh and clean.

But a few days later, it was time to vacuum again. This time, I did half the house before checking the canister. Sure enough, it was mud. But I noticed something.

It wasn’t quite as thick and black as it had been. Oh, don’t get me wrong. It was still nasty. But there was a slight improvement.

I called my mother, a long-time Rainbow owner, and told her the good news. She assured me that each time I vacuumed, I’d see an improvement. Over time, the Rainbow will do its job.

I must tell you that aside from being totally embarrassed by the filth I was living in, I feel great. The air in my house smells pure and clean, and my carpet is turning a lighter color.

I don’t know what my previous vacuum did. It certainly didn’t clean my carpets. I think it just moved the dirt around some, so it wouldn’t be so noticeable.

I wonder how often I’ve done that in my life. I know there’s stuff I need to clean up, issues I need to deal with, but try as I may, I just can’t seem to accomplish much. So I just keep moving those things around, spreading them out so they aren’t quite so noticeable. And all the while, my life just keeps getting muddier and muddier.

Sometimes, I just have to face the cold, hard truth. There are some problems I’m not qualified to deal with. Thankfully, I know Someone who is.

He’s the original creator of the rainbow, which is a symbol of God’s promise to mankind. And God always keeps His promises. Just like my Rainbow vacuum has the power to pull all the dirt out of my carpets, God has the power to pull the dirt out of my life. And He’s promised to do exactly that, if I let Him.

Oh, it doesn’t always happen immediately. With God, it’s often more of a process. But I’ve found when I consistently depend on Him day after day, week after week, He does His job. Gradually, my life feels fresher, more peaceful. Gradually, I notice the mud seems . . . not quite so muddy.

And eventually, I find my life has completely changed colors.

Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”