What does Febreze have to do with Advent?

Febreze and Advent don’t seem to go together, but I’ll explain that in a moment. First, thanks for taking time to stop by today. One word of reassurance: Everything I do online is always free — devotionals, sermons, Bible studies, podcasts — all free. Which doesn’t mean it doesn’t cost something to do this, but I believe no one should have to pay for a subscription to the Good News.. That said, let me urge you to subscribe to this free newsletter because then you’re guaranteed not to miss an issue. And, you can unsubscribe anytime. Also, if an article might be helpful to others, please like it, share it or forward it. OK, end of commercial and let’s get back to our regular programming. (Keep reading for the Febreze connection!) 

Sacred Renewal: God’s Advent Invitation

Malachi 3:1-4 NIV

1 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.

2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.

Taking the Next Step in Advent

There’s something deeply satisfying about cleaning. Whether it’s a freshly mopped floor or an immaculately polished car, we admire the job once it’s done. These everyday renewals speak to something deeper in us: our longing for meaningful change. In this second week of Advent, we’re invited into just such a renewal, but one that goes far beyond surface cleaning.

Each December, our homes fill with familiar holiday rituals – getting out the decorations, checking off our shopping lists, and baking Christmas goodies. But Advent invites us to something deeper. The prophet Malachi knew this when he spoke of God’s work being like fire and soap – not just surface cleaning, but the kind that transforms what it touches.

That is what makes Advent different and necessary. It calls us to active preparation, both of our hearts and our world. This kind of renewal takes effort. Tackling that long-postponed deep cleaning of our homes – or our hearts – requires honest assessment and willingness to change.

The Deep Joy of Renewal

Believe it or not, cleaning elicits a common response in people once the job is done. In his book, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and in Business, Charles Duhigg recounts a fascinating story about the air freshener, Febreze. In seeking to boost sales, Proctor and Gamble researchers studied home cleaning habits and made a remarkable discovery. In countless videos of people cleaning their homes, they noticed a universal moment: when the work was done, every person would pause, step back, and simply admire the transformation. Whether it was a teenager in Seattle or a grandmother in Miami, the response was the same – a moment of quiet satisfaction at positive change.

This deeply human response tells us something important about who we are and how God made us. We’re wired to recognize and appreciate renewal. That pause of satisfaction after cleaning speaks to our innate understanding that things can be made new, that transformation is possible, that disorder can become order.

This is precisely what Malachi was addressing when he spoke of God’s transforming work. The prophet wasn’t just using random metaphors when he spoke of launderer’s soap and refiner’s fire. He was connecting to experiences his listeners would understand immediately – clean garments and pure silver. Obviously, however, Malachi was pointing to something deeper: God’s desire to renew us from within.

The Deeper Work

When we understand this human appreciation for positive change, we begin to see Malachi’s message differently. The prophet wasn’t just delivering stern warnings. He was speaking to a deep human longing, one we all recognize: the desire to make things right, to restore what’s broken, to clean what’s become soiled.

The timing of his message is telling. The Jewish people had spent about seventy years rebuilding their lives after returning from exile in Babylon. They had reconstructed the Temple stone by stone. Markets were bustling again. Worship had resumed. After decades of patient work, they had every reason to step back and admire what they’d accomplished.

But God, according to Malachi, saw something deeper. Like someone noticing the dust under furniture that’s been ignored for too long, God saw beyond the restored buildings and renewed rituals. Workers weren’t receiving fair wages. Widows and orphans were being ignored. The gap between wealthy and poor was growing. The surface looked clean, but their hearts needed transformation.

This is where God shows up. He’s coming not only to critique our shortcomings, but as One who sees our potential for real renewal. When Malachi speaks of launderer’s soap and refiner’s fire, he’s describing God’s patient, persistent, and purifying work to restore us to wholeness. It’s not about punishment, but transformation. Not about judgment, but renewal that reaches past the surface to touch the heart.

When Cleaning Below the Surface

Think about the difference between tidying up quickly for unexpected company versus the deep cleaning we do when we’re moving to a new home. One is about appearances; the other leaves no corner unexplored, no hidden space unchecked. God’s work in our lives mirrors this deeper cleaning.

The people of Malachi’s time thought they had done the hard work of renewal. After all, returning from exile meant rebuilding everything – homes, businesses, even the Temple itself. They had restored their religious practices and revived their economy. From the outside, everything looked right.

But God wasn’t interested in surface appearances. Like a loving parent who knows their child’s room isn’t really clean until the space under the bed is addressed, God saw what was being swept under the rug: unpaid wages, neglected widows, forgotten promises. The very things that, generations before, had led to exile in the first place.

This is where hope enters our story. God’s promise through Malachi isn’t about punishment for missed spots in our spiritual cleaning. Instead, it’s an invitation to genuine renewal. When God speaks of refiner’s fire and launderer’s soap, it’s about transformation that brings out our true worth, like silver emerging pure from the flame.

All of this brings us back to Febreze and the rest of the story. Once researchers discovered the satisfaction each person received from admiring their own cleaning efforts, P&G marketers began promoting Febreze as the last step in the cleaning process. 

Transforming a shot of Febreze from “just another air freshener” into a celebration of hard work sent sales soaring, and the rest is history. Like a culminating shot of Febreze, Advent is our celebration of God’s work in this world, both in Jesus’ first coming and His anticipated return. It is our moment to pause and ponder our part in God’s great plan of salvation. 

Living in Active Hope

But, Advent’s invitation goes beyond waiting – it calls us to participate in the very renewal we seek. Like the satisfaction we find in transforming a cluttered space into one of order and peace, this season invites us to cooperate with God’s transforming work in our world.

The prophet Malachi understood that renewal requires both divine action and human participation. When he spoke of the refiner’s fire, he wasn’t describing passive waiting but active engagement. The refiner must maintain the right temperature, watch carefully, and know how to remove impurities. Our participation in God’s renewal works similarly – through attentive presence, careful choices, and dedicated action.

This is what makes Advent revolutionary. We’re not just marking time until Christmas; we’re participating in God’s ongoing work of renewal. Each act of kindness, each moment of compassion, each choice for reconciliation becomes part of this larger transformation.

Reflections for the Week

Each day this week offers a chance to participate in God’s renewing work. Like any deep cleaning, we’ll take it one space at a time, with purpose and attention.

Monday: Beginning with Honesty  

Take a quiet moment today to ask: What parts of my life have I been cleaning just for show? Where do I need God’s deeper renewal? Let this honest assessment guide your week’s journey.

Tuesday: Noticing What’s Hidden  

Today, pay attention to the people you usually hurry past – the grocery clerk, the maintenance worker, the person seeking spare change. How might God be inviting you to see differently?

Wednesday: Addressing What’s Broken  

Consider one relationship or situation that needs repair. Like tackling a long-postponed cleaning project, take one small step toward making it right.

Thursday: Making Space for Others  

Look around your community. Who’s being overlooked? Choose one practical way to extend care beyond your usual circle, even if it means stepping out of your comfort zone.

Friday: Renewal at Home 

As you move through your daily tasks, consider: How can ordinary moments become opportunities for God’s transforming work? Let even simple acts of cleaning become prayers for deeper renewal.

Saturday: Preparing the Way 

Weekend activities often crowd out reflection. Today, intentionally create space for quiet. Ask God to show you the next step in your journey of renewal.

Prayer for the Week Ahead:  

God of renewal, you see past our surface cleaning to the deeper needs of our hearts. Give us courage to participate in your transforming work. Help us notice what we’ve overlooked, repair what’s broken, and embrace the deep cleaning our lives need. Make us instruments of your renewal in our homes, our communities, and our world. Amen.