A Clean Heart

 

 

Vernell Windsor – Prayer Center Coach, cbn.com

Have you ever met someone you would consider to be a snob? There was just something so condescending about the person, but you could not figure out why. They say that confession is good for the soul. Well, I was a big spiritual snob. I could look down upon those who did not know the Bible or serve God as legalistically as I did.

I can hardly believe I just shared this publicly! Truly, God has been at work. I have no idea how I ended up that way, but I thank God that He circumcised my heart. This confession comes after reading Romans 2:1-3:

Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? (NASB1995).

This Scripture took away all excuses! Is it even possible to say one loves Jesus and looks down upon someone else?

In Psalm 51:1-4, we see a penitent King David:

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge.

God has been gracious to me too. He took me by the hand and led me out of the darkness into the light. Holy Spirit’s conviction brought me to that place of “sackcloth and ashes.” King David tried to cover up his sin. Far be it from me to judge him, but I can relate with his agony in Psalm 51:10-11 because I have been there too:

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

David must have been terrified about the thought of life without the Spirit of God, and so am I. The Lord already knows all the skeletons in our closets, and He still loves us! Confession really is good for the soul. It cuts the enemy off and helps us find our way to Jesus.

When I tried to wash my sins away in the shower, it did not work. A “broken and contrite spirit,” and a heart of “repentance” can set us free from a plethora of maladies. We can all come before the Lord with humility. He will not turn us away. This reality has washed away that stain of sin I foolishly tried to cleanse in the shower!