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A SPIRITUAL CLEANSING King David was caught red-handed. He stole a married woman from one of the soldier’s in his own army while he was off fighting in war. He decided to keep Bathsheba so he had her husband killed. The prophet Nathan could have been killed, but he confronted the king with the awful truth. David broke at least five of God’s Ten Commandments: Thou shall not kill, commit adultery, steal, lie or covet. The confrontation brought David to his senses, and we have a record of his repentance here in Psalm 51. The scripture has parts of several types of prayer: petition, adoration, confession and lament. David’s request is for a spiritual bath. He is dirty on the inside, soiled after wallowing in his sins. In desperation and humility he cries, “Wash me thoroughly; cleanse me from my sin,” verse 2. “Purge me with hyssop,” vs. 7. “Clean my filthy heart,” he begs in vs. 10. David is a sinner but he has not forgotten who can clean him up. He knows that he cannot cleanse himself. Hyssop was a common and well-used tool of nature -- a long, sturdy branch with many leaves that grew in the crevices of rocks. The Israelites were familiar with being purged, or freed of impurities, with hyssop. As slaves in Egypt, they used hyssop to sprinkle the blood of slaughtered lambs on their doorposts, so that the Lord would pass over their homes and slay their captors. Then God commanded his chosen people to observe the ritual throughout eternity. Today, as in days of old, Jews call the holy day “Passover,” Exodus 12:22. Hyssop was also used as a sprinkling tool in purification rites. When the priests examined the sick for signs of leprosy, and no trace of the disease could be found, they would dip hyssop into water and sprinkle it over their bodies to signify they were healed and could rejoin the community, and go home again, Leviticus 14:51. The record of praying for spiritual cleansing does not end with the Old Testament. Paul reminded early Christians that if they would not to marry unbelievers, God would claim them as his children. He wrote, “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and of spirit; making holiness perfect in the fear of God,” 2 Corinthians 7:1. In 1 John 1:7b-9, John explained what Christians needed to be cleansed of sin. He wrote, “…and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Spiritual cleansing is very different from physical cleansing. In a shower or bathtub we use soap and water with a cloth or brush to remove the dirt, sweat and dead skin cells from our bodies. But our spirits, our inner selves, are soiled beyond reach. Like David, we are in need of a good scrubbing. The job requires a higher power: the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Tonight’s hymns remind us of the power of the blood of Jesus to wash away our sin. That’s it: no soap, loofah sponges, sturdy bristle brushes, bubble bath, nothing made by human hands. We need a Savior, and God has provided. Tonight, come, as David did thousands of years ago. It doesn’t matter how many commandments we have broken. Or how many sins we have committed against one another and against God. Our part is to confess. And the God who created us out of the dust of the earth will cleanse our mortal bodies and our sinful nature, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. |