SPRING CLEANING

"Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin."

- Psalm 51:2

Due to the virus pandemic, many people are confined to home. Too many are wasting time watching television. I believe there are many positive, productive things we could be doing instead. One of the productive activities we can do is perform spring cleaning.

It is good to do some spring cleaning in your house or apartment. It is even better to have spring cleaning performed in your heart and soul. There is nothing more refreshing than being made spiritually clean!

David prayed, "Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin." He needed to be cleansed. What about you? Perhaps you may feel that you don't need spiritual cleansing. Yet like your home, there is a need for regular cleansing.

When it comes to spiritual cleansing, we must trust God for spring cleaning. We must petition Him for a refreshing time of soul cleansing.

In order to experience spring cleaning of your heart, here are a few things that are needed.

1. BE HUMBLE

First of all, you need to be humble. Pride is a horrible sin that hinders us from experiencing the life-changing, soul-cleansing power of God. The Bible says, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up." Have you noticed that spring cleaning often forces you to get on your knees? The same is true spiritually. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Our pride is part of the grit and grime that needs to be removed as part of the cleansing process. If you wish to experience the cleansing of your heart, you must be humble.

2. BE HONEST

Secondly, you must be honest. In Psalm 51, David got honest with God about his sin. What about you? When was the last time that you unloaded your burdens to the Lord? When was the last time you honestly and specifically confessed your sins to God? Far too often, we want to experience cleansing without specifically confessing and forsaking our sins. Be honest with God and yourself!

3. BE THOROUGH

Next, be thorough. Don't hurry the process. Leave no stone unturned. Make sure every closet and cabinet of your life is open and available for the Lord's work. We are often guilty of seeking a band-aid applied rather than receiving a complete healing of a wound. Don't leave the Lord's presence until every part of your life has been exposed to His Word and experience full and complete cleansing.

4. BE OBEDIENT

Next, be obedient to the Lord and His Word. While it is good to ask the Lord for help, it is even better to obey Him during the cleansing process. This may require you to apologize to someone or extend forgiveness to another. It may require genuine repentance for a long-term pattern of sin or rebellion. Obedience is better than sacrifice. Surrender your entire life to Him so you may experience His cleansing power today.

5. BE DEPENDENT

Finally, depend upon the Lord to cleanse and change your life. Your own efforts to change your life is limited and often counterproductive. Yield your life completely to the Lord right now. Trust Him to transform your life.

It is a good time for some spring cleaning. Like the old hymn says,

"Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
Oh, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!"

Experience the cleansing power of God today!