First Baptist Church, Somerville, NJ

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Created: 01 March 2021

“Give Me A Clean Heart”

Cleaning is something that we prefer to avoid, but it is often necessary for us to clean our houses. When it comes to cleaning house, the more we neglect doing what is needed, the worse things get, and the longer it will take to get things clean again. As we journey with Jesus in the wilderness this Lenten season, we are asked to clean our hearts. The same mentality of cleaning our houses should apply to cleaning every area of our life – marriage, family, work, relationships, and even self-image. While it is wonderful to have a nice clean house, it is more important to have a clean heart! This was the case with David when he prayed to God to give him a clean heart. David writes: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).

David was a man after God’s own heart and knew he was a sinner and completely separated from the presence of the living God. Right from the beginning of Psalm 51 we find a man who, when confronted with his sin, fell face down before God pleading for grace and mercy. We too like David have this opportunity this season of Lent to approach God in prayer and ask for forgiveness of our sins and to create a new heart, a clean heart, within us and believe that as a result, our spirits will be renewed.

While we must engage ourselves in daily housing cleaning, we must not neglect the heart cleaning to do as well? Our hearts are like uncleaned houses at times. On the outside we look good and everything seems to be in order, but on as we look on the inside our hearts are full of clutter – clutter such as unforgiveness, bitterness, self-condemnation, envy, jealousy, sadness, worldliness, unhappiness, worry and much more. Let us take serious cleaning our hearts by repeating the words of the psalmist in the morning and before you go to bed “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139: 23-24).

Have a Blessed Lenten Season!

 Pastor Loreno R. Flemmings