Focus

Pay attention to the tension in your body. Let go of it and any expectations to do anything other than God’s will today. Prepare yourself to hear God’s word.

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Read

Psalm 51:1-10 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

To the leader. A Psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

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.

For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.

Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
and blameless when you pass judgment.

Indeed, I was born guilty,
a sinner when my mother conceived me.

You desire truth in the inward being;
therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.

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Reflect

I love to work out in the yard. My favorite activity outside it mow my pastures with my tractor. I like the open air, the hum of the tractor and the whirl of the bush hog. I love how I can’t answer texts or phone calls while I am mowing. And for about 4 hours, I am free to enjoy creation and care for the land. At the end of my time mowing, I can see obvious progress and achievement as I survey the fresh-looking fields all one uniform length. But, the best part of the whole thing is coming back to the house for a warm shower! I like seeing the dust and crud swirl at the bottom of the shower before disappearing down the drain. I love the way I can have the satisfaction of feeling fresh and clean after being so dirty and funky just moments before.

I often wish that I could feel that kind of clean on the inside. A hope to feel renewed and refreshed in my spirit, in my soul. A prayer to have my harsh words, my memories of cowardly inaction and regretful bouts of unfaithfulness to Christ…just scoured from my mind and spirit. I hear the Psalmist today and I know that I am not alone and that the God who looks not at my iniquities also creates a new, fresh, clean spirit within me.

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Pray

Lord Jesus, cleanse me, all the way, scrub my heart and mind and create a new spirit within me. Make me freshly yours so that I might serve you faithfully.

Go with God!