April 3 - A Lesson in Sanitation

When Israel came out of Egypt, there was a big company. They counted about 600,000 men, and with women and children, the number could easily exceed one million. Just imagine the sanitary problem they must have. My question for many years has been: “Where did they go for bathroom facilities?”

Here in the Book of Deuteronomy, the Lord gave them a very detailed solution to their sanitary problem. They were to carry a trowel and go outside of the camp. When they sat down to do their thing, they should dig a hole in the ground. Upon completion, they were to turn back and cover their excrement. What looks like a very common and natural need actually has spiritual implications.

Then the Lord gave the rationale behind His instruction: “Because the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and to give up your enemies before you, there your camp must be holy, so that He may not see anything indecent among you and turn away from you.” It was not only about sanitation, it was about the presence of the Lord in the camp, to give them victory over their enemies.

Cleanliness is like holiness, both are the requirements for God’s presence. We must believe that God wants to walk with us and among us. His presence will give us protection and victory over our enemies. To be untidy or unclean, both spiritually, mentally and physically are causes for defeat. When God removes His protection from us, bad things will be happening to us. Cleaning house is actually not a chore but an invitation for God to be present in your house. When you bring idols or porno materials into your house, the Lord will not visit your house because of these abominations and uncleanness.

In the Mosaic Law, there are many stipulations on what is clean and what is unclean. When one keeps these commands, one is reminded of the holiness of God. Today, repentance from uncleanness is key to living a victorious life. You cannot be mired in sin and expect God to be with you and protect you. Once outside of God’s protection and covering, you will be under a curse because the devil may then operate in your life, your family and your church.

How is your sanitary habit? Is your place neat and clean? Are there things that may drive God’s presence away? Do a thorough house cleansing now. If you have experience a lot of mishaps in your life, if there are constant accidents in your home, then you need to remove any abominations and invite God to be resident there. Fill your house with reminders of God’s presence and help, make declarations that your house belongs to God. He is the Head of your household.