My wife has arranged a part-time cleaner to help me to do some spring cleaning next week during one of my off days. It is not because we are rich and can afford a part-time cleaner; it is simply because I am too lazy to do cleaning. The truth is that, I don’t like to do cleaning up. Though I can justify myself by pushing the blame to my daughter and my work, it doesn’t change the fact that I am lazy.
If you ever step into my study room, you will know what I am writing here is nothing, but truth. My wife calls that study room: My Room. Because she doesn’t want to have anything to do with it; it is simply messy. Though I keep boasting that the study room is in an organized mess, but truly, I do agree with my wife description of that room: Messy.
I really don’t like to do cleaning up. When I was teaching as a teacher, my colleagues noticed that I will start to clean up my messy table whenever I am very stressed up. Similarly, when I start to clean up My Room, it is usually when I am under tremendous stress. I am either stressed by my work or by the gentle reminder of my wife (she has given up nagging). But the truth is that My Room needs some cleaning up, so are my heart and my life.
Whenever I read this psalm, I am reminded again of my sinfulness and my sins of the past. Though I know that God has completely forgiven me, and I am living in the abundance of His grace; it doesn’t change the fact that I was once a sinner and I am still a sinner; just that I am now a redeemed sinner.
Recently, my wife and I were doing our couple devotion using Gary Thomas’ book: Sacred Marriage (which I strongly recommend); we were reminded that we did not marry a saint, but a sinner, and we are to love each other just like how Jesus would love the sinners.
The psalmist, David, recognized his sinfulness (v5). He also realized that he needed to be cleansed. He needed a cleaning up! Just like My Room. He called out to God to purify him and wash him (v7) of his filthiness; he also asked God to do a renovation and complete makeover by create in him a clean heart (v10) and restore to him the joy of salvation (v12).
David had sinned against God big time! But God is still willing to call him a man after His own heart. What is the secret behind it? You want to know how David did it, because you too have sinned against God, some time. I am just being nice. We spot obvious sins like adultery, murder and lying easily and condemn them as big time sins; but we seem to be oblivious to sins like pride, unforgiveness and indifference. Take some time to look long and deep within your heart, and I am sure that you will find all sort of sinful thoughts and filthiness in it a waiting to be clean up (maybe I am the only one with a filthy heart which needs cleaning up).
David had a broken and contrite heart (v17). He realized his need for cleaning up. Unless we realize that we have the need to be cleansed, we will not have the desire for a clean heart and to experience the joy of salvation.
Spring cleaning can be even messier than the mess itself. Whenever I have to clean up My Room, I will first have to take out all the books and files and other stuffs in My Room, and then one by one arrange them back to order. Going through those books and files and other stuffs, I have to make hard decision; to keep them or to throw them away. When God shows me different areas of my life which need to be cleansed, I have to decide whether to let God throws it away or to keep it for later reference.
Is God speaking to you that you need some cleaning up with your life? Will you let God clean up your life?
I need to go and clean up my office table too.
HHS…
Abel…
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