A Prayer for Cleansing

Lord, we know we must be honest before you. You know our deepest, most hidden thoughts—those so embedded that we hardly notice them ourselves.

We may take pride in our commitment and accomplishments—and not recognize the darkness of sin that lurks in the shadows of our minds and hearts.

We have proclaimed that you are the stronghold of our lives and that it is our desire to live in your presence. Yet, we more often live apart from you with hardly a thought of you in the busy currents of our lives. We have declared with hymns of joy that you are our Sovereign God, to whom we would offer the most reverent praise. Yet, our minds often wander far away even as we sing, and our lips may not say what our hearts are considering. Our hearts may be full of anxiety or frustration, maybe even anger. We admit there is some pride behind that anger, more often than not. We would rather wallow in our hurt feelings than admit any error on our part.

Lord, perhaps we need to pray with the Psalmist this simple prayer: “Search me and try me and see if there be any unclean way in me” (Psalm 139). You dwell in absolute righteousness and require purity—more purity than we want to admit. You have said that those who enter your presence must have clean hands and a pure heart. Jesus said we must become as little children—unstained and pure. But, we have darkened our lives with more impurity than we want to admit.

So, cleanse us, O Lord. Renew a right spirit within us and hear our prayers as we pray in the words of King David (Psalm 51, NIV):

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 sin…

Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Thanks be to God that through His Incarnate Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we can be cleansed and made new. Hallelujah! Amen and Amen.

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