When Dirt’s In The Way

When Dirt Gets In The Way

“Blessed are the undefiled in the way …

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?

By taking heed thereto according to thy word.”

Psalm 119:1a, 9, KJV

Have you watched players engage in the sport of curling? I admit I have but not for long. The game consists of two teams sliding “rocks” down an icy path toward the house, which looks like a bulls eye. When the thrower releases the rock, two other teammates skate in front of the rock with brushes—looks like brooms to me, sweeping all debris from the path they want the rock to travel. The rock resting closest to the house wins a point. These rules are a brief summary of the game.

In the blessed way of the undefiled, believers need to regularly clear our way from debris that would cause us to veer from the path that leads home. Psalm 119: 9 begins by asking—

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?”

Then the verse summarizes the answer.

“By taking heed thereto according to thy word.”

Being a pastor’s wife, people have commented to me about living with someone who doesn’t ever sin. Let me set the record straight. Pastors and their wives are people saved by grace through faith like every other believer. Our feet need washed like all others.

Take for instant the disciples who walked with Jesus in the way. Even they needed the filth of the world washed from their feet. We, who are saved, don’t need a complete bath—we had that when we received Jesus as our Savior. But we do need to regularly be cleansed of the ways of the world that sneak into our hearts influencing  our minds, our words, and actions. The apostle John explained—

“If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness …

My little children, these things write I unto you,

that ye sin not.

And if any man sin,

we have an advocate with the Father,

Jesus Christ the righteous.”

1 John 1:9-2:1, KJV

As a born again child of God, the righteousness of Christ has been put to our account. The Father counts us righteous because of Christ’s righteousness. In day to day living, we are still being trained in righteousness. Sometime we sin disrupting the close fellowship the Father wants us to have with him. The way to cleanse that disruption is through confession.

If we daily brush away the debris the world seeks to pour into our path through the mind, we learn to guard our thoughts and walk in obedience.

• “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
• (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,
• but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds:)
• Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
• and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ:
• And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience,
• when your obedience is fulfilled.” 2 Corinthians 9: 3-6, KJV

Our way is most commonly littered with the words we speak. A daily mouthwash helps keep our words pure and our actions undefiled in the way.

• “But  be ye doers of the word,
• and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves …
• If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
• Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this,
• To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction,
• and to keep himself unspotted from the world …
• For in many things we offend all:
• If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man,
• and able also to bridle the whole body.” James 1:22, 26-27; 2:2, KJV

Food For Thought:

“Finally, God’s Word will keep us from wrong thoughts, words, and actions: or else wrong thoughts, words, and actions will keep us from God’s Word.” (From The King James Open Bible, expanded edition)

Are you missing a closeness with the Lord you once enjoyed? Maybe it’s time to sweep away the debris hindering your way.  God’s Word is a wonderful broom.

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