O, sweet Spirit of the living God, open my mind and heart today to receive the instruction that You have prepared in advance for me. May I hear and heed what You have to say for the glory of Your name! I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen!
I was quite young when I was taught Psalm 51:10,
"Create in me a pure heart,
O God,
and renew a right spirit within me."
I remember feeling drawn to it then.
I remember rehearsing its words in my mind back then.
I am finding myself even more transfixed as I meditate on it now.
This plea of David prompts me to reflect upon how God promises to transform unclean hearts into clean ones.
That is quite a request.
That is quite a promise.
That necessitates quite a process.
Yet before one could ever discern the wisdom of God's process of transformation, it would help to establish the difference between a heart that is unclean, soiled, wicked, and putrid versus another that is clean, washed, righteous, and sweet-smelling.
How does God's Word define uncleanness?
An unclean/foolish heart is one that maligns God’s name
and rebels against the Lordship of God, according to Psalm 14:1 which asserts,
“Fools say in their hearts,
‘There is no God.’
They are corrupt, their deeds
are vile;
there is no one who does good.”
That means, the opposite is also true: A clean/wise heart is one that honors God's name and acknowledges the Lordship of God.
Ever since sin entered the world, the Lord has been going through this process of transforming the wicked and foolish heart of mankind. The Bible relates stories of Cain's sin and Abel's burnt offering, sibling rivalries and confessions leading to restitution in Jacob's family, the ten plagues of Egypt and Israel's freedom from slavery, the grumbling in the desert and the statue of a serpent erected by Moses preventing more Israelites from dying, the golden calf and the broken tablets crushed and soaked in water which became the medicinal potion that healed the idolatrous Israel, the continual lust for foreign idols or evil practices and God's ever-growing commitment to purify His chosen ones.
With each story, the level of depravity grows worse. No wonder David's story reminds us of the degree to which the human heart is indeed foolish, unrepentant, stubborn, and rebellious. At a certain point, David had to shush the voice of the Spirit of God in his heart in order to feel free to commit adultery and murder. Nevertheless, God would rather forgive than crush David. He sent Nathan to point him back to the right path. Likewise, God graciously remains faithful in His pursuit of human hearts, choosing to use our lot in life, even our uncleanness, to accomplish His greater good -- the purification and redemption of individuals as they come to know that He is the Lord, that He is their God.
I am encouraged by David's request because it reminds me that God is still in the business of transformation. He nurses the same ideals in His heart for me and for everyone else. I am sure if each person were to take the time to recount story after story of our lives, we could see God's transformative hand -- as plain as day -- busily writing on the parchment of our hearts. And, He is doing that so you and I may come to revere His name and acknowledge Him as God -- hence, having a transformed heart, a clean heart.
Ever since sin entered the world, the Lord has been going through this process of transforming the wicked and foolish heart of mankind. The Bible relates stories of Cain's sin and Abel's burnt offering, sibling rivalries and confessions leading to restitution in Jacob's family, the ten plagues of Egypt and Israel's freedom from slavery, the grumbling in the desert and the statue of a serpent erected by Moses preventing more Israelites from dying, the golden calf and the broken tablets crushed and soaked in water which became the medicinal potion that healed the idolatrous Israel, the continual lust for foreign idols or evil practices and God's ever-growing commitment to purify His chosen ones.
With each story, the level of depravity grows worse. No wonder David's story reminds us of the degree to which the human heart is indeed foolish, unrepentant, stubborn, and rebellious. At a certain point, David had to shush the voice of the Spirit of God in his heart in order to feel free to commit adultery and murder. Nevertheless, God would rather forgive than crush David. He sent Nathan to point him back to the right path. Likewise, God graciously remains faithful in His pursuit of human hearts, choosing to use our lot in life, even our uncleanness, to accomplish His greater good -- the purification and redemption of individuals as they come to know that He is the Lord, that He is their God.
I am encouraged by David's request because it reminds me that God is still in the business of transformation. He nurses the same ideals in His heart for me and for everyone else. I am sure if each person were to take the time to recount story after story of our lives, we could see God's transformative hand -- as plain as day -- busily writing on the parchment of our hearts. And, He is doing that so you and I may come to revere His name and acknowledge Him as God -- hence, having a transformed heart, a clean heart.
Thank You, Lord, for Your gracious plan!
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