When my kids were little, they mostly liked to play in the bath tub. Their main purpose was not to get clean, it was to have fun. To ensure that they were truly clean, I started giving them what I called car wash baths. I would line them up in the tub and scrub them like they were going through a car wash. It served two purposes. It was quick and I was making sure they were really clean. They soon began requesting car wash baths most nights. Many times after we were done, they would say something like, “Smell me, Daddy!” I would breathe in their nice, clean, fresh smell and tell them they smelled good.
Car washes are great because no matter how muddy and filthy your car is when you drive in, it’s shiny and clean when you leave. You can even convince yourself that it even drives better. The problem is that sometimes the inside of the car is nasty. There are atm receipts, crumbled fast food napkins, and straws papers scattered about. Not to mention the smell of your wet dog, old french fries, or in our case a crockpot full of baked beans that spilled on the way to church. We couldn’t get rid of that smell until we vacuumed and washed out the back of the car. That’s sort of what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 9 when He said the Scribes and Pharisees were like whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside but cold and dead on the inside. It doesn’t matter how clean we look on the outside, we need to be clean from the inside out. Jesus made this possible for us. I can go to Him no matter how much I’ve messed up, no matter how dirty I am and ask for forgiveness. He can make me fresh, clean, and new. He washes me whiter than snow from the inside out. God, the Father, takes a deep breath in as He holds me in His arms, and says I smell good.
Psalm 51
Be gracious to me, God,
according to Your faithful love;
according to Your abundant compassion,
blot out my rebellion.
2 Wash away my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I am conscious of my rebellion,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against You—You alone—I have sinned
and done this evil in Your sight.
So You are right when You pass sentence;
You are blameless when You judge.
5 Indeed, I was guilty when I was born;
I was sinful when my mother conceived me.
6 Surely You desire integrity in the inner self,
and You teach me wisdom deep within.
7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
9 Turn Your face away[a] from my sins
and blot out all my guilt.God, create a clean heart for meand renew a steadfast[b] spirit within me.11 Do not banish me from Your presenceor take Your Holy Spirit from me.12 Restore the joy of Your salvation to me,and give me a willing spirit.[c]13 Then I will teach the rebellious Your ways,and sinners will return to You.14 Save me from the guilt of bloodshed, God,the God of my salvation,and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare Your praise.
16 You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it;
You are not pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifice pleasing to God is[d] a broken spirit.
God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.
18 In Your good pleasure, cause Zion to prosper;
build[e] the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices,
whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
Each Friday I participate in the FiveMinuteFriday.com writing challenge hosted by Kate Motaung to write for five minutes on a prompt word. Today’s word is fresh.