Casandra Martin

One of the consequences of man’s fall in the Garden of Eden is laundry. Before Eve ate the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden, she lived in a laundry-free world. Imagine it for a moment. There was no laundry detergent, no mountains of dirty clothes, no washer repairmen, and no dryer lint. She never worried about socks without mates, mysterious spots on shirts, and things moving in young boys’ pockets. But alas. With temptation came sin. With sin came fruit juice stains.

Laundry actually has a lot to teach us about God. Even in our piles of dirty clothes, God wants us to see Him at work. He wants every dirty shirt, stinky soccer uniform, and mismatched sock to remind us of His heart. So here are some lessons from the laundry.

Filthy Rags – Dirty laundry can remind me of my need for a Savior. Isaiah 64:6 tells us that “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” We all have laundry. We all have sin that makes us unclean. All of our goodness, smarts, resources, and efforts amount to a pile of stinky laundry. We need transformation. We need Someone to step in and make us clean.

Rich Garments – Have you ever had clothes so filthy that you just threw them away? You looked at the outfit, took one good smell, and tossed it in the garbage. New clothes were the only answer. That is God’s answer as well. This is exactly the picture that unfolds in Zechariah 3:4. “The angel said to those who were standing before him, ‘Take off his filthy clothes.’ Then he said to Joshua, ‘See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.’” God sees how utterly stained and filthy sin has made us. He doesn’t just give them a rinse and hope the dirt comes out in the wash. He takes off the filthy rags and covers us in rich garments of grace.

Whiter Than Snow – The thing about laundry is that it is never done. Even as I finish up the last load, the pile starts to take dimension again. God knows that we need continual cleansing and He makes provision for our need. The blood of the Lamb cascades over and over us, washing away the sins, stains, and stubbornness of the day. Isaiah 1:18 paints a beautiful picture of how the blood of Jesus works in our lives. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

My Jesus Resolution today is to look at my laundry differently. God has lessons to teach me amidst the dirty clothes, smelly socks, and stubborn stains. In the simple act of doing my family’s laundry, I can see the transformation process God wants to work in my life. He is willing to step in and handle the messes I make, the stains I create, and the stinky aromas that stubbornly cling to me. He longs to make me new, clean, fresh, and bright. Romans 13:14 tells us to “clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ…” In other words, God does my laundry so I can look like Jesus.