ON THE VANGUARD

A SPIRITUAL COLONOSCOPY
“…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles…”
Hebrews 12:1b

I can hear the groans of grossness already just in mentioning the word ‘colonoscopy’. In many ways I am groaning with you concerning this odd and uncomfortable subject of the day. Still, I ask that you continue on in reading this devotional today. It was back a couple of days ago while at work that this term came to mind. I won’t go into all the specifics as to how the topic was brought up, and no it isn’t a procedure I am having done anytime soon, but I will say that while talking to my circle of friends about it God began to nudge me in my spirit about how I needed a cleansing to this degree. For those who do not know, a colonoscopy is an examination of the large bowel and the distal part of the small bowel done with a small camera inserted through…well perhaps you get the idea simply by the term bowel. The reason for the procedure, though, is the look for ulcers, polyps, or anything abnormal within the bowels. In removing these polyps and such, they then can be examined for cancer and other disease.
There are additional reasons as to why one would have the procedure done outside of checking only for cancer and because of the depth and lack of comfort found in this topic I leave that for you to research. However, I want to focus on the preparation related to the procedure before moving forward. In order to check the bowels the colon must first be free of all solid matter. In reading online I found that the first day or two before the procedure the patient is to drink only clear-liquids and eat an extremely reduced low fiber food diet. On the day before the colonoscopy, the patient is given either a laxative or a concentration of polyethylene glycol. Once taken, the body begins to flush the bowels, passing all waste out to expose a sparkling clean intestinal track. This is the point I want to focus on for the remainder of our devotional.
As people living in a sinful world, we are susceptible to sin. This sin hinders our health just as it so easily entangles us. Sin becomes the waste that holds us down, causes health issues, and serves to make us bloated Christians. But the waste needs to be removed. While there is no laxative or concentration of polyethylene glycol that will remove the waste of sin in our lives, there is still a way of flushing. May I suggest a daily dose of the Trinity? Look with me at a few key points found in the Bible. In John 15 we see that God is the gardener who prunes the branches of no fruit. As such, our first place should be connected to the right vine where sin is not allowed because true growth is being accomplished. Not only is Jesus the true vine, but in Hebrews 12:2 He is also the one we are to fix our eyes upon. And still, we read in Ephesians 5:18 that we are daily to be being filled with the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to lead and guide us away from sin. In being flushed by these Agents, we find ourselves living a life free of the waste that sin creates in our spirit.
While a physical colonoscopy isn’t a procedure done until later in life, I would suggest we consider having a spiritual colonoscopy done soon, today even. Why put off another moment of cleansing and ridding of the sinful waste that may already be in our bodies? Let us today take the dose of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The three together change our spirit and change our body, and work to push out the waste of sin and the disease and death it leaves behind. Today is a great day to be cleansed. Why not come in for a check up?