Wash, Rinse, Repeat: Jesus the Great Agitator

Wash, Rinse, Repeat: Jesus the Great Agitator

clean hearting

One of my favorite memories as a kid was laundry day!

No… not because I was excited to wash my clothes, but because I loved the rinse cycle of my grandmother’s old school, top-loading washing machine!

As the agitator would vigorously spin, it would cause the entire machine to shake. When she wasn’t looking, I’d hop on top of the machine during the spin cycle for a 2-minute adventure that rivaled a kiddie carnival ride! 

I’m reminded of that sweet, fun time when I read Matthew 23: 25-26. Jesus speaks to the Pharisees and says to them, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.”

The Pharisees and other teachers and instructors of God’s law had become so consumed with following the law that they were missing the truth that grace had entered the world through the very One who was speaking to them.

They were so focused on the procedures, rituals, and traditions of the past, that they had missed the blessing and relationship that was present with them at that moment.

Their focus was misplaced, and their priorities were out of order. They were so set on honoring the law, that they lost sight of honoring the heart of the One who had created it. 

As we journey through this month’s Clean Hearting Challenge, I am reminded of just how much my focus and priorities can be like the cup and dish in Jesus’ story.

I try to organize my time and schedule in neat, color-coded blocks on my calendar—only to have the interruptions of parenting and work to break my flow. I plan and prep my healthy meals each week—only to have stress or a late meeting cause me to take a last-minute spin through the drive-thru instead. I make daily efforts to clean and organize my home so that I can feel and appear “put together”—only to be overwhelmed when my children come home and make their spaces look and feel more “lived in”. I strive to maintain a consistent prayer, devotional, and Bible reading time each day—only to find myself “off-schedule” when life is altered, or when my alarm isn’t strong enough to prompt me out of my warm, cozy bed. 

Through this passage of Scripture, Jesus reveals Himself as our Great Agitator! No, this may not be one of the “official” Names of God found in the Bible, but it is who He is, nonetheless. 

Jesus reveals Himself as our Great Agitator!

Jesus: The Great Agitator

You see, the center tube in my grandmother’s old school washing machine was called an agitator. Its purpose was to twist back and forth, rubbing against the clothes to help break apart stains. Without agitation, some deeper, set-in stains may remain in the otherwise clean-looking apparel.

Isn’t this just like our Jesus?

He comes into our hearts and begins to lovingly twist back and forth. Speaking to us, convicting us, chastening us to be more like Him.

As His Holy Spirit moves through us, He begins to rub against those stained, set-in areas of sin in our hearts. He’s not interested in us appearing just clean and new, He is working within us to make us clean and new. He IS our Great Agitator! 

Some of us may be in our wash cycle with the Lord and we feel like we’re being tossed along with everything around us. Some of us may even be at the peak of our spin cycle just holding on for dear life until the whirlwind of our circumstances subsides. 

Be encouraged, dear friend, at the end of our spiritual spin cycle comes rest.

We can rest in knowing that the agitation was hard but necessary. Rest in knowing that the heart that emerges from this process is one whose stains have been completely removed. Rest in knowing that Jesus has cleaned our hearts from the inside out so that we can fully move forward in His purpose and calling for our lives. 

– This rest brings RELIEF that even though my schedule, home, and meals may not be perfectly organized or Pinterest-worthy, they are ordered and can be submitted to the Spirit of the Lord (Psalm 37:23). 

– Instead of trying to check the boxes of my faith, I can rest in the RELATIONSHIP of grace and love with My Father. And as I look to Him, I can radiantly smile and embrace peace in Him (Psalm 34:5). 

– Finally, because of His work in my heart, I’m able to REFOCUS on the being of my faith, instead of the doing. I can BE free from the rules, standards and measures of this world knowing that I have been sanctified and set a part for His work and His glory (2 Timothy 2:21). 

This is our reminder to set all things aside and to take the time to do the inner work first. This is an invitation to allow the Lord to come into our hearts to break apart those habits, thoughts, and actions that have stained our hearts for so long. 

For those of us who are bold enough to truly ask God for a clean heart, be ready. The journey may not be easy, comfortable, or smooth. But as we allow Jesus to take His place as the Great Agitator of our hearts, I hope you’ll join me in hopping on for a better ride than the one on my grandmother’s washing machine!

Adrienne Edge is a married, mom of two and proud graduate of Platoon 25 Instructor Training. She is the founder of ProFIT Family Wellness and is also a certified Family Health Coach. She and her family live in Summerville, SC.

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9 Responses

  1. This “They were so set on honoring the law, that they lost sight of honoring the heart of the One who had created it. ” I can go into the pharisee zone quickly if I’m not careful. I love analogies and this resonated with me all too well. Je isn’t interested in just making us look new; He is cleaning the deep set in sins!

  2. Adrienne, I cannot tell you how much your words ministered to me today – this was just what I needed to hear. You see I am a mom of a young adult who is autistic. I spend a great deal of time supporting and planning and preparing his day-to-day life…….and future my departure. Much like the pharisees I spend so much time looking to “prepare” I miss what is right in front of me and it keeps me from caring for myself…… God is working deeply in my life and your words were used to comfort and encourage me today – thank you!!

  3. Awh, this was a great analogy of explaining how Jesus is concerned with a purged Heart. We can look good from the outside, but are those hidden agendas of the Heart. Great read, Thank You!

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