Wash Me!

Hey there, and welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading, titled Wash Me, was written by Arthur Jackson. Wash me. Though those words weren't written on my vehicle, they could have been. So off to the car wash I went, and so did other drivers who wanted relief from the grimy leftovers from salted roads following a recent snowfall. The lines were long, and the service was slow.

But it was worth the wait. I left with a clean vehicle, and for compensation for a service delay, the car wash was free of charge. Getting cleaned at someone else's expense, that's the gospel of Jesus Christ. God, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, has provided forgiveness for our sins. Who among us hasn't felt the need to bathe when the dirt and grime of life have clung to us, when we're stained by selfish thoughts or actions that harm ourselves or others and rob us of peace with God?

Psalm 51 is the cry of David when temptation had triumphed in his life. When confronted by a spiritual mentor about his sin in 2 Samuel 12, he prayed a wash-me prayer. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean.

Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Feeling dirty and guilty? Make your way to Jesus and remember these words from 1 John 1.9. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Psalm 51, verses 1-7. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love, according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against You, You only have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight. So You are right in Your verdict and justified when You judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

Yet You desired faithfulness even in the womb. You taught me wisdom in that secret place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let's pray. God of heaven, you see every stain in our life that needs to be dealt with. Wash us, forgive us, and help us to honor You. Thank You, Lord, for loving us the way You do. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. I'm Stephen Tabor, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.