Psalm 51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

This whole Psalm is thoroughly familiar, and for excellent reason. It is interesting, and so like Him, that God has used David’s horrible sin and turned it around to speak to, guide, and bless countless people. It is a perfect example of Romans 8:28, of taking something that had no good in it intrinsically and making it a blessing to those who love Him. That should be a comfort as we observe the horrible things that are going on in the world all around us in these days. That said, what David says here specifically is certainly worth considering. In the first place, He asks God to “create in [him] a pure heart.” There is recognition that he can’t clean himself up sufficiently, and that his old heart is dirty beyond repair. That is a very important truth, and one we forget too often. God is the Creator and it’s no problem for Him, but so often we labor at trying to clean ourselves up, when what we need to do is throw ourselves on God’s grace and mercy. I think it’s rather like our stomach lining. If we didn’t continuously grow a new one, our digestive juices would eat through the entire stomach and kill us in short order. (I had an aunt to whom that almost happened.) We are bombarded with filth constantly, and we need the renewing work of the Holy Spirit just as constantly, or we go under. David also asks for an unshakable spirit. Lots of things shake us. The only way we can stand is to stand on Christ, because everything else is unreliable. Lines from two hymns come to mind: “On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand,” and, “Built on the Rock the Church doth stand, even while steeples are falling.” Mental illness is on the rise around the world because the pace of change is so extreme that people cannot keep up emotionally. It is only in Christ, who never changes (Malachi 3:6) that we can find the stability we need and crave.

Well, this certainly applies to me! I don’t need to go through a litany of the filth that comes my way. By God’s grace I have an increasingly “non-stick surface,” but that’s not perfect by any means. I certainly need the constant renewing that is available only in Christ. Likewise, I have my own problems with the pace of change. At 66 I am living in a world that was science fiction, if that, in my youth. Even national boundaries are being redrawn as I write, and the possibility of nuclear conflict is greater than at any time since the height of the Cold War. Persecution of Christians is more intense than at any time since Constantine, and it is far more widespread than it has ever been. As I observe the world on the micro and macro levels I’ve got to remember Who I belong to, and find my stability in Him. I also need to be aware that the time available for evangelism is short, and make every effort to bring as many people as possible with me into God’s kingdom.

Father, thank You for this reminder. I ask for wisdom and clear guidance in how to apply this in my daily living, so that I will indeed live as Your representative so that Your name may be recognized as holy and Your kingdom come as Your will is done in and through me, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!