“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
—Psalm 51:10, NASB

Reflection:
After praying for God to be gracious to him, David began to pour out his heart to God. He cried, “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Ps. 51:2, 7, 10).

David had a deep desire to be washed of his sin. He wanted to be thoroughly cleansed of his iniquity so there would be nothing standing between him and Father God. David understood something that we must also embrace, that if we’re not washed inside, we can’t know God.

The Bible asks, “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart” (Ps. 24:3-4) What God is saying here is that we can’t walk in fellowship with Him unless our nature is purified. Yeshua said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). In other words, if we are to walk closely with Messiah and become more like Him, we must be cleansed on the inside.

Beloved, we need to know our Creator is not far away somewhere up in the sky. He is here now in us. God has made known a glorious mystery, “which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). We aren’t going to know Him in us, and we’re not going to know Him with us in a way that will bring us into deep satisfaction, unless we are washed on the inside.

Forgiveness takes place in an instant. The moment we receive Jesus, we’re legally forgiven. But to be washed is a process. We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. With unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, we are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory. This is a process. It takes time and consistency to cleanse our hearts and minds of old ways.

This type of prayer should be the cry of our hearts. This is deep calling to deep. As we’re washed and cleansed, and as His clean heart is created within us, we’re brought into deep intimacy with Messiah Jesus. And deep intimacy with Yeshua is something that will satisfy us.

External and material things can never satisfy. One’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. The only thing that will bring us satisfaction is when we become more like Jesus. As we do, we will know Him. 

Application:

• Ask Father God to wash you on the inside, not only to forgive you, but to cleanse your heart and mind of old ways.
• Make David’s cry your own: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Prayer:
Father God, be gracious to me and wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Create in me a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Cleanse me on the inside so there is nothing standing between You and me. Bring me into deep intimacy with Messiah Jesus, where my heart finds true satisfaction. Transform me from glory to glory by Your Spirit. Amen.