Clean

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions."

Psalm 51

Psalm 51 is a Psalm of David written after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. In this psalm David is not only admitting his sin problem, but is also crying out for a solution to his sin problem "create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Several times he asks God to "blot out" all of his iniquities. In Psalm 51 David, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is essentially calling for the cleansing of sin that is only brought about by the shedding of Jesus' blood on the cross. He is asking for a permanent solution to an unending sin problem with man "behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." v.5.

How many times do we feel like David? We sit in our sin asking the Lord time and again to forgive us, not meditating on the fact that our sin has been thoroughly examined inside and out, and thoroughly paid for by Jesus. Colossians 2:13&14 says "And you, who were dead in your trespasses...God made alive together with him, having forgiven us ALL our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross." Did you catch that? The very thing David asked the Lord to do "blot out my transgressions" was done by Jesus on the cross!

So, how do we respond today when we feel weighed down by our sin? Do we become burdened with shame and guilt, sitting in our sin; or do we respond as David did as he looked forward to the cross... praising God confident in His perfect provision in Jesus who paid for our sins once for all. "...we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus once for all." Hebrews 10:10

In his mercy God has blotted out your transgressions. You are thoroughly washed from your iniquity and the blood of Jesus continually cleanses you from your sin! Although you sinned against him, he has purged your sin from you and you are whiter than snow. Because God hid his face from Jesus as he bore your sins on the cross, he forever turns his loving face towards you! God will never cast you away from his presence, nor take his Holy Spirit from you!