God of the bathrooms

Bob likes reading mythology, old and new, and even makes up some of his own.  One of the classic old standbys, of course, is the hero in the Odyssey.  Here’s my crib note version based on what’s left of my memory from required reading in high school and watching some old Hollywood interpretation on TV:

Odysseus has been away from the home castle for quite a long stretch; I can’t remember why, but “the rosy fingers of dawn” is mentioned several times.  That, plus the fact that he and his very macho comrades go through all kinds of fantastic adventures with all kinds of out of this world creatures (today, I believe they are referred to as “meta-humans” in the Comicon universe). 

Somehow, also fantastically, he makes it home, but in his prolonged absence, this not-so-humble abode has been overrun by ruffians who insist that Odysseus has perished in his quest, and now his dear wife must choose another for a husband and inheritor of his great estate. 

She has been been courageously holding out in hopes for her dear husband’s return, and true to form (spoiler alert!!) our hero returns to his castle…

…and cleans house.

Cool story.  Go Kirk Douglas.

Here’s one story, however, that’s real:

“God is honored in Judah; his name is great in Israel.  Jerusalem is where he lives; Mount Zion is his home.  There he has broken the fiery arrows of the enemy, the shields and swords and weapons of war.”

In other words, where God lives, He cleans house.  What I find most encouraging, as well as challenging (if not a little frightening at times) is that this God of the Universe, with this uncontainable violent love of His, no longer merely identifies His home in one particular place, like this psalmist writes.  In fact, according to the Bible, that was never the end game anyway: 

“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself…” 

It was always God’s plan to include us all, and to include every piece of us, body, mind and spirit.  As His home.  His residence. Where He takes up shop to do His best work.

In addition, not only does He clean house, but the enemy who foolishly chooses to hang around has no power. 

No power, that is, unless we give it to him.  Satan’s quite proficient at lying (and stealing and destroying, but I’m thinking all that usually starts with his lies and our believing them…think about it.)  So, even in the myth of Odysseus, Queen Penelope had to give him permission to use the bow and arrow.  Likewise, God is not about to tromp on the free-will He Himself gave us; i.e., this is joint venture, after all.

Speaking of joint ventures and house cleaning, Bob says the bathrooms are on his “to-do” list today.  (He may not have a bow and arrow, but cleaning toilets would make him a superhero for any wife!)

Psalm 76:1-3; 1 Corinthians 6:19 Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.