Jesus said, “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you.” -John 15:3-4 (NIV)
My house looks clean. The furniture is nicely arranged and looks presentable; the rooms are ventilated and display a sunny appearance. However, when I sweep the floors and do my weekly cleaning with a dusting cloth, I am surprised by the amount of dust and dirt all around, even though everything looks neat and clean.
I think this is parallel to the way we think about ourselves, or how we want to present ourselves to the world. We believe we are doing right and try to act accordingly, but we are imperfect and often fall short. God knows our innermost thoughts and knows exactly what is in our hearts. In the face of this reality, we would do well to recognize and accept God’s sovereignty and mercy incarnate in God’s Son, Jesus Christ, who offers us forgiveness. Jesus reminds us, “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.” And God rejoices in our clean hearts and spirits. Thanks be to God!
Prayer: God of all, we are grateful for your Son, Jesus Christ, who has wiped away our sins. Come dwell in our hearts and create in us a clean spirit. May your Holy Spirit continue to inspire us and guard our going out and coming in from this time forth. Amen.
Thought for the day: With God I can have a pure heart.
Estela Baldeon (Lima, Peru)
