Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. –Psalm 51:10 NIV
Do you find it exhilarating to dig into a neglected cabinet or garage, turning it upside down, scrubbing walls and floors, and tossing stray Legos from 1989? It almost becomes a shrine as you are determined to keep it organized and clean—for a while. As the newness fades, dust begins to gather, piles rebuild, and then the only time the door is opened is to shove something else on top of the mess. Reaching those neatly stacked tools so beautifully arranged underneath all the rubble becomes impossible. What about your heart? You received salvation, invited the Holy Spirit to take up residence, and were scrubbed clean from the inside out. But since then, are the clutter and cares of this world creeping back in, creating dust, and taking up space where God is trying to do a new thing? Be careful to avoid that same old mess! Start today with God’s Word and a grateful heart. Then, at end of the day, ask the Father what went right and what went wrong. Is there anyone to whom you need to ask or offer up forgiveness? Keeping your heart clean makes it easier to see and then to stay on the path that He has prepared for you.
Thank God for the day He gave you a fresh, clean heart, free from the clutter of sin.
Ask the Lord how your heart is doing. Is it clean? Have you offended someone today? Is there someone you need to forgive?