Promise for Today - Remove the Stains

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Psalm 51:7-10

Shower or Bath? I can hear some of you now, Are you kidding me? You're discussing showers and baths for the Promise? Yes...Yes, I am.

Some like a good, hot shower. Others prefer baths. One might ask, What's the difference as long as we get clean? 

Well, I have noticed there is a difference - even between shower to shower. How's the water flow from the shower head? Is it hand-held or wall-mounted or both? Does it have a pulsating feature or not? And baths - how many different kinds of tubs have you seen or experienced? My favorite is the old clawfoot tubs - now if I had one of those, I might change my mind...

And some of the comments. 

Shower - I just like to stand there and let that hot water beat down on me. 

Bath - I like to sit there with the water up to my chin and let it just soak the stress away. Calgon built an empire on that premise. How many of you remember the ad slogan,"Calgon, take me away..." ?

The point is, we all feel better after getting in and getting clean from the grit and grime of the day. How much more so after being cleansed from the sins and stains of life? There isn’t enough soap or water or scrubbing to cleanse us from our sin and unrighteousness. But the promise is - whether we choose to stand under the flow of forgiveness or sink into the depths of His unlimited grace, we are washed clean – inside and out - by the Blood that flowed at Calvary.

Prayer:

Father,
           Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; You have broken me— now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen

From Now Until Easter - Truth

From Ash Wednesday until Easter, I will post from Lent and Easter devotionals offered online. Today's post features excerpts written by Rev. Timothy Dunn, a chaplain at the Christian Health Care Center in Wyckoff, New Jersey.

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6 You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Psalm 51:6-7

In Psalm 51:6, David says that God desires truth in the inward being, and he prays that God would give him wisdom in his secret heart. Among the truths God desires for us is to know who God is and who we are. We may learn truth from external resources, but God also desires that we learn and assimilate truth deep within ourselves. God desires the truth that we know and understand with our minds be also in our hearts. David refers to the heart as “the inward being,” and “secret heart,” the place where God is truly known.

Our digital-information society provides us with access to knowledge instantly. However, the accumulation of knowledge does not equal wisdom, which is the ability to apply knowledge to life’s circumstances. When we find ourselves in a crisis or need direction to make major decisions, we may need wisdom.

The heart of the matter is that God desires to teach us truth and wisdom in the inner person. This requires that we take time to be mindful of what is going on in our hearts. The result may be that we will discover wisdom and joy in our hearts from being renewed by God.

Prayer: 

God of my salvation, 

                   You desire truth in my inward being. Cleanse and renew my heart and teach me wisdom in my secret heart. In Christ Jesus’s name, amen.