A clean house, a clean car, clean clothes, even the proverbial 'clean slate' - why do we so enjoy things that are clean? Perhaps it is because it brings to mind a sense of purity and newness. In Psalm 51, David is longing for a clean & pure heart, free from sin and stain, knowing the Lord looks on the heart. Only God can create a clean heart through the washing and cleansing of our sin by the blood of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. But like David, we must beg the Lord to restore our hearts with faith that he will respond. Today we learn that forgiveness restores us from sin, but brokenness and contriteness before God produces joy!
In Acts 4, we see the disciples' "holy reflex" in times of trial: they immediately fall to their knees and pray together in unity....