“Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean; wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness—that the bones which You have broken may rejoice.”
Psalm 51:7-8
His cleansing is always inward and complete.
Guilt and shame.
Have there ever been any harsher tormentors than these? They accompany sin wherever it is found and lie-in-wait to attack once a devious, deceitful deed is done. And, once within one’s conscience, they delight in torturing day-and-night.
We try to deal with them through acknowledging and confessing our sin; but, still they linger—clamoring and accusing in the courtroom of the conscience.
“Guilty!” one cries.
“Shameful!” says the other.
And, like two demons from hell they continually assail and assault, binding the victim as they scream, “No hope! No hope! You’re doomed! Condemned! Worthless!”
But, one day into that environment of regrets and the deepening darkness of despair the Savior came.
And, with Him came “Life and Light, Grace and Truth” (Jn. 1:3-5, 9, 17).
At first, these two inward tyrants refused to leave—so entrenched in “strongholds of sin” (II Cor. 10:5) were they.
But, one day that Visitor from on High surrendered His Will to the One Who had sent Him and to Golgotha’s Hill He trod. . .beaten and bleeding. . .stumbling and falling… weeping for those who’d treated Him so.
And, there on that “hill far away” cruel men nailed His precious Hands to the Tree. How great His pain! How agonizing His suffering! How deep His sorrow! Yet, how great His Love! And, as He was raised to the sky. . .His life’s Blood pouring out upon the Cross and the ground below. . .He said “Father, forgive them” and “It is finished.”
So many, many years before the blood of dumb, mute lambs was dabbed with the branches of the hyssop shrub upon the doorpost and lintel of every Hebrews’ home to avert the Death Angel’s wrath (Ex. 12:21-28). And, not a one of their firstborn died that night—all because of those first Passover lambs’ deaths (vv.29-36).
But, none of those could compare to God’s new Passover Lamb, Who willingly gave His Life that we might be “purged, washed clean (without and within) and made whiter than snow.” No more inward accusations! No more overwhelming sense of condemnation! No more need to live in guilt where “Grace has abounded” (Rom. 5:15, 20; Eph. 1:8). Hallelujah!!
Aren’t these wonderful promises, Pilgrim? Are you living and resting in them today? If so, rejoice; if not, let Christ’s cleansing Blood flood your soul so you, too, can “hear joy and gladness” rather than “doom, despair and agony on me.” He’s faithful. Trust Him.
May 6, 2011
