Asking For Cleansing
I spoke yesterday about acknowledging the seriousness of our sin, but one of the dangers of talking that way is that many of us can get stuck there. We get into this little pit of depression when we realize how our sin shames God, and so we want to just beat ourselves up the whole time.
In fact, I remember a teacher of mine at school, and there was a rumour that he was a self-flagellator. In other words, he would flog himself with a whip, as a type of spiritual discipline, so that he could feel punished for his sin.
I think that is tragic. But I think it happens spiritually more than we could ever imagine – many many people “flog” themselves within to try and show God that they are sorry for their sins.
Divine Cleansing: Seeking Renewal and Restoration
This type of thing is unnecessary. More so, it is an offense to God, I believe. God would never encourage self-harm. God loves us and made our bodies to honour Him. And think of this – Jesus was the one who bore our sins on the cross, the Bible says. When Jesus was flogged and beaten, he was taking the punishment for our sins. We never need to harm ourselves in repentance. That would mean that Jesus’ sacrifice wasn’t enough – and that it a terrible error to make.
David doesn’t beat himself up in this Psalm, instead he simply asks for forgiveness and cleansing. Verse 7 says “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” And then verses 9-10 say “Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
David doesn’t say “hurt me Lord”. He says “cleanse me Lord! Wash me! Make me new!”
If you need to come to God to repent or confess sin, come like David. Come with a mindset that says “wash away my stains please Lord! Let the affects of my sin be cleaned up. Change my heart and make it pure and holy.”
Redemption in the Blood: Embracing Forgiveness and Renewal
And God will do it! He will do it, if we appeal to Him for cleansing and don’t try to do it ourselves. David even asked to be cleansed with hyssop, which was a branch which would be dipped into the blood of a ritually sacrificed animal, and applied to the sinner to cleanse them. We don’t need hyssop anymore because we have the cross of Christ which was stained in the Messiah’s blood. Trusting in His death and the blood He shed as the means for our cleansing, we can find forgiveness and not dwell in a place of depression and brokenness.
Go to Him today, and claim the blood of Jesus as the only thing which can wash away your sin.
And then rise and walk tall again, knowing that the God who loves you has also cleansed and renewed you.
