"He has transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son."

A Laundry Experiment Called Grace

Posted on by Michele Morin

Sunday Scripture

Doing laundry for a posse of four sons often felt more like a chemistry experiment than a household chore. Scrubbing, spraying, treating, pre-washing, and re-washing were all part of the formula, and sometimes the result was great–other times, not so much.

Unlike my laundry experiments, God’s cleansing work in the believer’s life is always a sure thing! No matter what the stain may be, there’s grace for it.

God’s cleansing work in the believer’s life is always a sure thing! No matter what the stain may be, there’s grace for it.

Poet Luci Shaw also raised a houseful of children, and I wonder if that’s behind her vivid laundry metaphor:

Now as we yield ourselves to be washed in grace’s laundry, the scandal of undeserved mercy acts on us as God’s unlikely bleach.”

Luci Shaw (“Bloodlines”)

We are acted upon just as surely as the stained T-shirts and muddy jeans in my “chemistry experiments,” and this becomes clear in the way scripture talks about our experience of grace:

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.”

Colossians 1:13

God is taking the active role in our salvation, and he carries us from darkness into light, from the kingdom of this world into his own kingdom of beauty, goodness, and truth.
When the method of conveyance is flawless, we can be sure of our destination!

This is good news for every believer because we know we can’t sin ourselves outside of his love. How does this impact on your sense of the security of your position in Christ?

This is good news for anyone who’s praying for a prodigal or trusting God for the salvation of someone dear. God is able to work on their hearts and to orchestrate events in their lives to bring about their “transfer” into his kingdom.

Lord,
We thank you for the “unlikely bleach” of your mercy, undeserved and yet poured out with abandon because of the cross. Give us courage to serve you, secure because you have carried us into your kingdom.
Amen

If you are praying for a prodigal, simply share their name or initials below. This is a praying community, and your comment is an invitation for others to join you in prayer.

Blessings and love to you,

“Now as we yield ourselves to be washed in grace’s laundry, the scandal of undeserved mercy acts as God’s unlikely bleach.” ~Luci Shaw

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Published by Michele Morin

Michele Morin is a Bible teacher, writer, reader, and gardener committed to the truth that women can become confident Christ-followers and students of God's Word. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for thirty-plus years, and together they have four sons, four daughters-in-love, and six adorable grandchildren. Michele loves hot tea and well-crafted sentences, poems that stop her in her tracks, and days at the ocean with the whole family. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” She blogs at Living Our Days, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

73 thoughts on “A Laundry Experiment Called Grace”

  1. I love this metaphor and as a busy Mum of boys I can definitely relate. It is wonderful that no matter how much mud we play in, God has an endless supply of laundry detergent if we go to him and ask for it. #MischiefandMemories

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  5. Years ago I came across Ezekiel 11:19-20 where God foretells the return of Israel to Himself. He said, “I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.” That spoke to me concerning my loved ones who have turned or drifted away from God. As I pray for them, I praise God He is constantly working toward that end goal of responsive hearts, that He is “orchestrating events” as you say. At the top of my list are T. and H. P.

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  9. Your post encouraged my continued prayers for a nephew of mine that is on the streets due to a severe drug addiction.

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      2. Michele I’m going to ask for continued prayer. Two days after I posted asking for prayer I got word that something happened (I don’t even know the details) that lead me to believe that God is working on them. Thank you to everyone who is keeping them in prayer.

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  12. What a fabulous metaphor… ah, laundry, such a never ending chore with kids in the house! That and dishes (which we laughingly call ceramic laundry) always seem to pile up.

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  17. As anyone who has done much laundry knows, keeping those whites white is pretty tough to do, and yet God promises to wash us white as snow. His “unlikely bleach” is amazing and I’m so thankful for its cleansing power! Great metaphors and quotes. The prodigal on my prayer list is R.F. and his family.

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  18. Wow, “scandal of undeserved mercy” is a great phrase. As a mom of 3, I definitely connect with the laundry analogy. Thanks for the reminder that God is always successful in getting out the stains.

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  24. Amen Michele. Thank you for this beloved post. Please pray for my prodigal adult daughter OS. I miss her. Um, Michele. This is making me teary, it always does when I’m praying for her. My most grateful thanks for your prayer too.
    Blessings.
    Visiting today from Let’s Have Coffee

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  28. Beautiful post, Michele, it helped renew my strength to continue in prayer for my prodigals, DB and JB, my God rescue and redeem them. Thank you!

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  29. Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Please stay safe and healthy. Come party with us at Over The Moon! Catapult your content Over The Moon! @marilyn_lesniak @EclecticRedBarn

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  32. Michele, the old hymn was going through my head as I read your words … “Grace, grace, God’s grace;
    Grace that will pardon and cleanse within.” Such a comfort to know that God is the One who initiates and completes the ultimate inner cleansing–in His way and in His timing.

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  33. Michele,
    I was glad to grow taller until it meant I was tall enough to hang the laundry on the clothes line lol. I love this line: “… we can’t sin ourselves outside of his love.” Amen! Please pray for SD. Thank you.
    Blessings,
    Bev xx

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  35. Michele, you never fail to encourage me in this space. As the mom of three boys, I can definitely relate to your laundry metaphor!

    Thanks so much for joining the Grace at Home party at Imparting Grace. I’m featuring you this week!

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