Raw Prayers: Praying Through Our SinSample

CLEANSE ME

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

Psalm 51: 2

When we ask for God’s forgiveness, we do not have to wonder if we have also received His cleansing. Forgiveness and cleansing go hand in hand, even if we do not say the words “cleanse me.” However, considering the meaning of these words gives us an even deeper sense of what God does for us. Think about it, if God only forgave us, we would still have a problem. Sin has made us dirty.

A child can disobey his Mom and play in the mud and then ask for forgiveness. His Mom may say, “I forgive you,” but the dirty child still needs a bath! Even though his Mom said, “I forgive you,” she will still say, “Stay out of my house until you are washed clean!”

From Psalm 51, we have a wonderful description of what God’s cleansing means. Being clean means a deep inner cleansing of our hearts (verse 10). It restores joy (verses 8 and 12), renews the Holy Spirit’s power (verse 11b), gives you new desires (verse 12b), and makes you able to be in God’s presence (verse 11a). When we are clean, we can come into His house!

In Psalm 51:7, David says, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.” Hyssop was used in ceremonial cleansing by dipping the stiff branch into the blood of an animal and sprinkling that blood on the person or object to be cleansed (Leviticus 14:6-7 and 51-52). In the exodus from Egypt, God commanded Hyssop to be used as a paintbrush to spread the blood of the Passover lamb on the door frame of each Israelite house so that the LORD would pass over and death would not visit that home (Exodus 12:22-23).

Hyssop was the tool, but the cleansing and protection were by the blood. In the New Testament, we discover that the Jewish cleansing ceremonies by blood were to point us to the greater sacrifice. The one who would shed His blood for our ultimate cleansing, Jesus! Jesus is also called “our Passover Lamb” (1 Corinthians 5:7)! So, when we received His cleansing, we were washed by the precious blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! If Jesus is your Savior, you have been made clean, and all the benefits of being clean are yours!

Ask Yourself:

-Is there any sin in my life that has taken away the joy of salvation?

-How would I know if I’m ready to be in the presence of God?

-Am I confident that I have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus?

Pause to pray through your guilt:

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Amen

(Psalm 51:10-12)