Water That Cleanses

The Cleansing Water

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way …”

Sometimes a water hose will suffice, and sometimes the young man or woman needs both water, soap, and a good scrubbing.

David needed all of the above. The king paced the marble floor of the castle. He paused and turned his head towards the arched window.

No. That’s where my trouble began. Nathan waits to speak with me.

David splashed some water over his troubled face, took a deep breath, and made his way to his throne. The king’s guards ushered the prophet in. Nathan bowed before his king, stood, and began his story of a rich man with many lambs and a poor man with only one lamb.*

When David heard that the rich man had taken the poor man’s only lamb and made dinner, fury burned on his face. He pounded his fist on the arm of his throne. The king stood and cried in a loud voice, “As sure as the LORD lives, that man will die, but first he will replace what he took with four of his own lambs.”

Nathan waited until the king finished his rant. With tears pooling in his eyes, he spoke. “Thou art the man …”

A bucket of the water of God’s word poured over David’s soul—the cleansing of his way from adultery and murder had begun. For David took heed thereto according to thy word, and

The king prayed—

“Have mercy upon me, O God,

according to thy lovingkindness:

according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies

blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin …

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

Psalm 51:1-2, KJV

The word began its cleansing work in David. He practiced what he wrote in Psalm 119:10 and 11.

“With my whole heart have I sought thee …

Then to keep his way undefiled he prays—

… O let me not wander from thy commandments …

David further explains how to guard our way to keep us from wandering from the Lord.

…Thy word have I hid in mine heart

that I might not sin against thee.”

• To be cleansed we seek the Lord.
• To keep our way cleansed, we bath our heart in his word.
• When we seek the Lord, he will be found in his word.
• He isn’t far from us.
• When we water the seed—his word hidden in our heart—fruits of forgiveness, purity, and faith sprout for all to see.
• The word’s fruit will not die for it’s good seed.
• What’s of the flesh has died, destroying sin’s power and has been washed in the cleansing power of the blood.

We not only have the written word to keep us clean before the Lord, we, his church, have the living Word.

“That he might sanctify and cleanse it

with the washing of water by the word,

That he might present it to himself a glorious church,

not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing;

but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Ephesians 5:26-27, KJV

Jesus is the Word, the seed of life planted in our hearts. If you’re hungry feed on him. If you’re thirsty drink from him. You will always have food and water to strengthen and cleanse you in your way.

“And Jesus said unto them,

I am the bread of life:

he that cometh to me shall never hunger;

and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

John 6:35

What’s your heart in need of today—a rinse? a shower? a scrubbing? Daily drinking from the Word radically reduces the need for a scrubbing.

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*The account is found in 2 Samuel 12.

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