Commere. That's a southern version of "come here". I tried and tried late last night to get Snoop (our granddog) to come in the house for the night, but he delights in protecting us from rogue deer and possums and cats, and the list goes on and on. So I let him stay outside. I would hear him bark occasionally as I drifted off to sleep. "He's chasing that pesky deer again", I thought to myself. When I got up early this morning to make coffee, I saw him at the back door, smiling. (He does that.) Awhhhh. I love this dog! He's smiling because he sees me! Yet not. He was smiling because he was so proud that he had kept us safe through the night; not safe from a pesky deer, but safe from a pesky SKUNK. Commere, Snoop; let's get you cleaned up.
When I was a little girl, I vividly remember the time my friend and I decided to play in the freshly plowed garden. It had rained during the night, and the garden was more mud than dirt; however, we didn't let that stop us. Did we ask first? Of course not. So off to the muddy garden we went and played for what seemed like hours. (It might actually have been hours.) It didn't occur to us to try to clean up before we presented ourselves to my horrified mom. We showed up on the back step (much like Skunky Snoop) and had a big grin on our faces when my poor mom came to the back door. We were literally covered in mud from head to toe. We knew we had to be cleaned up, but we had had so much fun. "Commere, girls. We've gotta get you cleaned up", sweetly said by my precious mom who had probably played her share in mud holes too.
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So here's what I gather from stinky dogs and muddy kids. As much as we love them, they just can't come in the house to be hugged and cuddled until they are squeaky clean and smelling good. As much as Skunky Snoop would happily jump in the pond to bathe as best as he could, it just wouldn't be enough. As much as those muddy little girls would have loved to play in the water hose to get cleaned up, it just wouldn't be enough. Neither the dog nor the kids could clean up on their own. We may truly love the dog and love the child, but the stench and the filth are repulsive. They must be cleaned up before we can welcome them with open arms.
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And so it is with our Heavenly Father. We live in a world now where sin has been pushed to the limit, and depending on who you talk to, things and situations that God's Word teaches us are wrong are now welcomed with open arms. We've tried on our own to clean up sin, and it's just not good enough. You can't clean up sin; it's the sinner who has to be cleaned. To be what we were created to be, we all must be cleaned up by our Heavenly Father. He felt so strongly about this, and loved us so much, that He send His only Son to make it possible for us to be clean. No matter how big the sin, no matter how small the sin, it separates us from God and we have to become clean, but we can't do it on our own. We just need to come to Him, just as we are, and He will do the rest.
I'd like to think that God might have just a little southernness, and I can almost hear Him saying "Commere, my child! I love you and I'll clean you up and welcome you with open arms!"
Just as I am - without one plea, But that Thy blood was shed for me, And that Thou bidst me come to Thee, -O Lamb of God, I come! Just as I am - and waiting not To rid my soul of one dark blot, To Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot, -O Lamb of God, I come! Just as I am - though toss'd about With many a conflict, many a doubt, Fightings and fears within, without, -O Lamb of God, I come! Just as I am - poor, wretched, blind; Sight, riches, healing of the mind, Yea, all I need, in Thee to find, -O Lamb of God, I come! Just as I am - Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; Because Thy promise I believe, -O Lamb of God, I come!