It's Time to Clean House

As we toddle along through life, we inevitably find that we each have 'stuff' going on that, whilst not acutely painful, nevertheless contributes to a chronic sense of unease. And that's simply no way to live, wouldn't you agree? Take your sleep, for instance. Sure, you can get by with inadequate sleep for a while – for years in fact, until you realise that it's contributing to stress, hypertension, even diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Unless you do something about it … it'll kill you. And the same is true of the 'stuff' going on in your heart that's emotionally, relationally and spiritually damaging. Take, for instance, chronic anger. How good is that going to be for your sense of wellbeing, your marriage, even your relationship with God? For King David of Israel, his 'thing' was lust. He committed adultery and even had the woman's husband killed so he could take her as his own. His life was on a downward trajectory … until, that is, he came to his senses and prayed this prayer: Psalm 51:10-12 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. (NRSV) What is it that has your life heading down that same path? Perhaps today's the day for you to come to your senses. Maybe today's the day for you to clean house. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.