Dirty to Clean
Psalms 51:1-2
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
I enjoy working in my yard. I enjoy the pleasures of planting, watering, and feeding plants that then provide the joy of blooms. I delight in the work, toil, and sweat that brings the satisfaction of observing God’s beautiful creation. But, when my work is done, I am covered with the residue of my day; dirt, pollen, splinters, and rash remain on my flesh after time spent in my own yard. From head to toe, under my nails and in the pockets of my clothing, I find dirt, blades of grass, tiny twigs, and small bugs. By the end of the day, the yard becomes a part of my flesh, and my clothing is most unclean. It is with great anticipation then that I head for my shower – to be cleansed of the effects of the yard that are unwelcome. I find myself itchy and unable to have peace or rest until I am cleansed. And while my yard and all of God’s glory within it is a blessing, there is no comfort in being dirty. I often stand then in my shower as the soap and water run over me, imagining how God provides my soul with the same peace and cleansing. David states in Psalms 32:1-2, “How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit, there is no deceit.” Indeed, there is no rest, no peace, and no comfort in filth. When I am clean, and I am tired from the work of the day, then I find the beautiful and exquisite peace and rest for my tired and weary – but clean flesh.
Unfortunately, the cleansing, the repose, the forgiveness that we all long for is not available without the understanding or our own sins. We must know when we are dirty, we must itch, the splinters must bother us, the rashes need to irritate us and remind us that the scum of the world remains upon us. David seems to be very aware of the iniquity that soils his soul. And, additionally, he speaks of the mercy required of God to forgive through the steadfast and immeasurable love He possesses. He longs for God to blot out all the spots of his own unrighteous activity, heart, words, and thoughts. Just imagine the temptation for David not to see himself as wrong; certainly, there would have been many surrounding him who would assure him of his greatness. David was mighty, he was powerful, he was loved by many, he was praised by a nation. David was positioned during his walk on earth to always “be right”, to be “justified in all actions”, and to stay above the fray of accusation or correction. Yet, it seems that while others may have been reluctant to address David’s shortcomings, he was quite able to examine his own heart and actions with a contrite spirit and heart.
We live in a world that views admitting a mistake as a weakness of character. A world that feels that owning up to a transgression can be bypassed by excuses and blame. We can live in a false reality – where sin is not as “big” as some make it out to be, or where weaknesses can’t be avoided; therefore, they are inescapable. Human nature then leaves us empty; and in all that we do to avoid true confession and a penitent heart, we are never afforded peace.
Facing our sinful natures and confessing our shortcomings is difficult. It is not pleasant. It is shameful, it is untidy, and it is hard. But, if we are unable to deal with the depth of our sin, then we are unable to understand the blessedness of forgiveness.
John, the beloved disciple of our Lord, talks of the importance of understanding that our state is one of sin, and the blessing of being forgiven allows us to walk in cleanliness and communion with our Lord:
“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1: 5-9.
As John and the beautiful songs of David express, we are to walk as those aware of our sins, repentant of our sins, forgiven of our sins, and determined to live in the light of the path of righteousness – clean and new, washed in the blood of the Lamb.
And what of the sins we don’t see, the sins of ignorance or those unknown to us? What of the sand and the grit that hides away in the crevices of my clothing, the dust that lays unseen on my flesh as I come in from outside? Does not the shower and the soap, and the washing machine, provide the cleansing from even the things of which I am unaware? Flesh and clothes restored and fully cleansed ready to enter the rest and peace that comes through the washing.
How much greater, then, is the blood of Jesus Christ, which cleanses us from all sin? When we understand our filth and consider the redemption, the price paid, and the salvation provided in that blood - it is impossible not to cling to the comfort and rest our souls are provided through the full blessing of forgiveness. For I am walking in the light and communion with the God who created me. Holy and without blemish since I am forgiven of my wrongs. Living my life clean and whole through the blood of the One who offered Himself for me and the Father who sent the one He loves to save me.
The Revelation given to John allows us to view this type of forgiveness, the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus that will last for eternity. In Revelation 7, as we enter before the throne, we find the great multitude, too great to be numbered. They are from all nations, tribes, peoples, and languages standing before the throne and before the Lord Jesus. They are clothed in robes of white, singing and chanting, falling down in worship. Who are these? Where did they come from – and how are they so clean when coming from tribulation and war with Satan?
“Then one of the elders asked me, ‘These in white robes – who are they, and where did they come from?’ I answered, ‘Sir, you know.’ And he said, ‘These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb’” Revelation 7:13-14
While we live on earth, we need continual cleansing. How great will be the day when after the filth of this world our scarlet sins will be as white as snow. And our perfected souls and bodies will be clothed in garments that have been washed white, once and for all, and in our new robes, we will join the worship around the throne of the One who disinfects, purges, and washes us clean.