Once a year, I empty closets and move furniture to do an inside-out cleaning of our home. Cleaning, for me, starts in out-of-way places and then moves to walls and floors. The smell of freshly cleaned rooms gives me a sense of accomplishment. Depending on the day you might come to visit, you probably won’t notice those hidden dustless corners, because of the crumbs on the floor or fingerprints on the windowpanes.
We all set different priorities when it comes to cleaning. My husband likes to keep the vehicle shining. He cleans and neatly stores his tools immediately after using them. One of my grandchildren perfectly organizes and labels toys in small tubs. While another grandchild pushes almost everything under her bed for easy retrieval later. It is humorous how some of us might meticulously arrange spices alphabetically but completely ignore a sink full of dirty dishes.
Have you heard the saying, “It’s what is inside that counts”? While outer appearance should not be ignored, God continually points our focus toward the purity of our hearts.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.“
Matthew 5:8
Inside Out Cleaning
After falling to sinful temptation that would eventually cost consequent generations multiplied grief and loss, David prayed,
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.“
Psalm 51:10
He, and we, soon become very aware that only God creates in us true purity of heart. Renew, in Psalm 51, means to rebuild and make new again. Have you noticed how removing the grunge of the past makes things appear new again (both in the natural and spiritual realm)? So, it is with our hearts.
The prophet, Jeremiah, honestly wrote,
“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”
Jeremiah 17:9
I concur! God mercifully allows us a portion of blindness to the true extent of the selfishness, greed, or any number of other things that warp our hearts. Yet, in love, He reveals our desperate condition little by little, inviting us to a true renewal — an inside out cleaning. This God-work of purifying our hearts supernaturally occurs as we cooperate with Holy Spirit, agreeing with Him regarding the revealed filth within, repenting (as David did), and then turning wholly to Him. By working with God’s cleansing process, He renews a steadfast spirit within us — making us “right” before Him.
Pure Heart
The blessing Jesus spoke about repeated another psalm of David’s,
“Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies.“
Psalm 24:3-4
That is God’s design and desire for us — to see Him, to be with Him, and to worship Him with purity of heart. We instinctively know that only in His presence is fullness of joy, where our hearts become completely satisfied.
But purity is beyond us. No amount of self-effort achieves it for us. We might twist the narrative of circumstance to paint a glowing picture of ourselves, but before God we all stand naked and unclean. Oh, the goodness and grace of God!
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.“
Ephesians 2:8-9
In that glorious moment when we confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He makes all things new, including our wretched hearts. Just as we begin our journey trusting that by grace through faith He would wash us clean and make us right before Him, so we continue by grace through faith. Again and again, we come to Him, bringing our need for cleansing and renewal.
How Much More
We find some of the most reassuring verses in Romans 5. It begins with,
“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.”
Romans 5:1
But there is more! Much more!
- “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” Romans 5:10
- “But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!” Romans 5:15
- “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!” Romans 5:17
- “The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:20-21
Let’s allow God’s Word to settle in our hearts. How much more liberating is God’s grace toward us, than the sin that attempts to hold us bound. How much more! “We have been made right in God’s sight by faith.” Amen! Done! And by that same faith, we come to Him, repent, and find restoration and the deepest and best cleaning ever.
Dare to Believe
With blurred vision, I write — tears of gratitude streaming from my eyes. How can we comprehend such a measure of His grace? I know that David did! Adultery couldn’t keep him away from a God who forgives and restores. Lying and murder couldn’t rob him of his God-call and destiny. The moment David turned back to God, fully confessing his sin, God restored him into a right relationship with Him again.
Yes, there were grave and painful consequences to David’s actions. Right with God doesn’t mean life instantly becomes smooth and easy. However, right with God does mean that we have a new opportunity to confess our errors and make amends wherever possible. It does mean that with a pure heart we begin to walk out a brighter more fulfilling future.
I invite you to believe again … to trust God again … to receive His grace again … to possess a pure heart … an inside out cleaning.
“Listen! The LORD’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call.“
Isaiah 59:1
**********