A Cleaned-up Heart
I know the title of this post is a little corny. I wanted to keep to the theme of Spring Cleaning, this week, and also acknowledge what my Father put on my heart, today. While we are going about spring cleaning this month, decluttering our homes, preparing for yard sales to recoup some of the money we spent on “stuff”, cleaning our purses, and cleaning up our schedules- all topics written about this week- may we not be negligent in the most important things.
I am continuing in the Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter 17, #3). I have been celebrating all week, as I studied the perseverance of the saints. If that phrase is unfamiliar to you, it means; once you are saved, you are forever saved. You will persevere to the end. There is no chance you can be unborn again, no chance that you can sin a sin that will cause you to die in your sins and perish, no chance that you will be plucked from the Father’s hands. By the grace of Our Father, the effective work of Jesus Christ, and the keeping power of the Holy Spirit, you will endure to the end. Hallelujah!
Today, unexpectedly, Chapter 17, #3 talked about how that even those who have been born again, by the Spirit of God, can fall into deep sin and continue in it for a while. They can bring about scandal to themselves, to others, and even the name of God. Supporting proof texts used the lives of Aaron, Jonah, and David, as examples. Aaron allowed his people to tempt him into creating a golden calf to worship in the absence of Moses. And we see the relationship between Aaron and
God, restored. Jonah (though I’m not certain he was a man of God), ran “from the presence of God” the scriptures say. He was thrown into the sea, swallowed up by a whale, spewed out of the whale’s mouth onto the shore of Ninevah, preached the message he was sent to preach, and pouted about the mercy that God showed upon Ninevah. Technically, he preached the message God told him to preach, but he also goes off the scene hoping and waiting for the destruction of Ninevah. Do you want to go the off the scene waiting for somebody to get their payback? Is there anyone you haven’t forgiven? David, took another man’s wife and killed her husband. His relationship with God was restored and he was called, “a man after God’s own heart.”
Today, I’m challenging you to take some time to examine your own life. You know the things you’ve done in the past- perhaps some very serious things, that could bring scandal to you, others, and the name of God. You may even be in the midst of something right now. Confess your sins. Pray, like David, “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me -Psalm 51:10,11. Use your own words, but own up to your sins. Be heart broken- and not just over the “big” sins.” All unrighteousness is sin.
Though the process of seeing your sin and confessing it is uncomfortable and heart breaking, it is needful. Your cleaned up house, purse, and calendar can only provide superficial peace of mind. Only a right relationship with The Creator and repentance from sin, can give abiding peace and restored joy of your salvation (Psalm 51:12a). The reality is, we must attend to carnal things like budgeting our money; educating ourselves on matters we need improvement; attending to relationships, homes, and businesses; and a variety of other things. But, let us challenge one another to keep first things first: giving due attention to guarding our hearts from sin, calling sin what it is, turning around when going the wrong way, and celebrating living under such awesome grace and love of our awesome Father and Savior, Jesus Christ.
