Today's Scripture:
Psalm 51: 1-18

Key Verse:
Psalm 51:10

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."

The Point:

A Thriving Heart Must Be Clean!

Everyone is familiar with the discipline, effort, and materials needed to clean many things. Similarly, everyone with any experience knows those things don't stay clean for long and they need to be cleaned again. Think for a moment about what is required to clean things the first time and then to keep them clean. Think also for a moment about major events that really make things dirty, soiled, or otherwise not fit for use. Hopefully, you are thinking about activities like personal hygiene, cleaning rooms (e.g., kitchen, bathroom, bedroom), cleaning objects (e.g., floors, toilets, outdoor grills, vehicles) and the list goes on and on. None of those things become clean or stay clean without positive action on the part of the person responsible for keeping them clean. If the person responsible is derelict in their duty, the evidence of that neglect becomes very obvious.

A key element of the cleaning process is the cleaning agent used to remove the dirt, grime, pollutant, and even the germs.

A Christian has 24/7 access to the "cleaning agent" that must be applied to have a clean heart. The interesting part that makes cleaning the heart different than cleaning other things is God is required to clean the heart! The Christian is responsible to recognize the need for cleaning and to ask God to do the work. The really difficult part of cleaning the heart is being honest with God about the need for cleaning. A genuine confession and repentance for the sin or sins committed combined with a humble request is always answered with the application of the cleaning agent. The cleaning agent is the Blood of Christ for salvation and subsequently for any sin committed after salvation. The relevant question is, how often is cleaning required? The initial cleansing is done once and for all at the point of salvation. The cleansing covers all sins past, present, and future.

One might ask, why is a subsequent cleansing needed if the initial one covered them all. Great question, there is an eternal aspect to the cleansing that deals with our relationship to God. The initial cleansing is an important part of becoming a child of God, being born again. This relationship is based on the principle of adoption and cannot be broken. Subsequent cleanings are needed to restore and maintain fellowship with God. They are needed more often than most of us want to admit. As you grow in God's grace and draw closer to him it becomes quite clear daily forgiveness is needed. Fortunately for us God's grace and mercy is abundant!!

Today's Scripture provides a detailed account of a man, a saved man after God's own heart, confessing, repenting, and asking God for cleansing and forgiveness after committing the grievous sins of adultery and murder. The man: king David of Israel. Look carefully at all the elements of this event and assess your need for cleansing to restore fellowship with God. Remember, in God's eyes, sins don't come in sizes (i.e., large, medium, small).

Study Today's Scripture for a few minutes and answer these questions:

1. After admitting to ourselves and agreeing with God we have sinned, what is the first thing we need from God (see verse 1)?
2. Do we really need to be "washed, cleansed"? (see verse 2)
3. What is the best evidence that we are sincere in our request to be forgiven? (see verse 3)
4. While it is true, the consequences of our sin impacts us and others, who are we primarily offending? (see verse 4)
5. King David specifically asks God to do two things in verse 10, what are they? How often do we need that help - be honest!
6. Look carefully at verses 11-18 and consider the benefits of a clean heart and right spirit!