Staying Clean
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. ~Psalm 119:9
Mr. Clean is the protected brand name for a popular and best-selling housecleaning product. The name is associated with cleaning and dirt removal. We want to see this morning how every Christian can attain a status of true cleanliness in his life. We see how every Christian can tackle the ongoing difficulty that we have with our sin nature. We see how every Christian can be a Mr. Clean every day of his spiritual life.
We see the onerous problem.
Every Christian still battles with the sin nature after he gets saved. Yes, he is a new creature in Christ with old things passed away. However, the old sinful nature is still our nemesis. Paul said, “When I would do good, evil is present with me.” He said that he placed no confidence in his sinful flesh. He knew that he had the propensity to fall back into sins that could easily beset him. The psalmist recognized that sin is no respecter of persons. We are in constant need of forgiveness and cleansing for our sins. We have the onerous problem of falling into all kinds of sin. When sin occurs in our life, fellowship is broken with the Lord, our life is soiled, and we feel perplexed about ourselves.
We see the only prescription.
“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” The prescription that we need is a spiritual cleansing from the Word of God. Jesus said, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” Jesus further said, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” Paul calls it "the washing of water by the word." God’s Word is the only prescription for cleansing. First, it shows us our sin. It reveals where the dirt has accumulated in our life. Second, it washes us. As we saturate our life with the Word, it draws us closer to God and changes us into His image. I think of Moses who spent forty days on Mount Sinai with the Lord. Moses had a glow and luster about his face that clearly showed that he had been with God.
We see an ongoing practice.
The cleansing is something that we need continuously. The means by which this is attained is by taking heed to God’s Word. The ongoing practice is obeying the Word of God. It is being a doer of the Word. It is seeing who we really are in the mirror of the Word and seeking to living a life that is "pure religion and undefiled." The practices include hiding the Word of God in our heart. Our thoughts affect our motions. When my thoughts are in His Word, my motions are dictated by what I know I must obey. As the psalmist said, we must seek the Lord with our whole heart. Our prayer is that we will not wander from His commandments. Remember, this is our ongoing practice. It is a daily regimen that we must commit ourselves to.
Is it possible to be a Mr. Clean when it comes to living a holy life? Yes it is! We can be clean by taking heed to God’s Word. We can be clean by being sanctified in spirit, soul, and body through the Word. It involves time in the Word. It involves meditation in the Word. It involves memorizing the Word. Don’t let sin ruin your life. Determine today to be a Mr. Clean through a life that is filled with God’s Word.
Have a Word-filled God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Song of Isaiah 28-30