Create in me a clean heart, O God.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." -Ps. 51:10. This scripture came to me when I didn't know what a clean heart was or what it looked like practically. Yet, this scripture caused me to cry out for a clean heart, and a right spirit though I wasn't sure what I was looking for. I just knew my heart was not clean, and my spirit was not right.

Repentance/Forgiveness

It took humility to cry out to the Lord in prayer and ask for something you're not really sure of. I had to ask forgiveness for my previous actions and not just my actions but also my ways of thinking and behaving. I knew the way my heart was at that time caused alot of pain and destruction, and Jesus said; "You shall know them by their fruits" - Matt. 7:16 My fruits were reflecting a deep pain within me, and deep sense of unworthiness, and a lack of love and respect for myself.

Abide in Love

The Lord showed me this, but not before humility, repentance, and surrender. Once that hurdle was jumped I was able to ask the Lord; "what is a clean heart"? Well, lets start with the words of Jesus. In John 15 Jesus says "Abide in my Love". John 15:9. This seems like a good place to start if your are looking to cultivate & develop a clean heart, but how? How do you abide in the Love of Christ?

What is Love?

Later on in the chapter Jesus shows us how. He says in verse 10: If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love"; then in verse 12 he makes it very clear. "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved. you". How has Christ loved you? Has He been patient with you, has He been kind? In 1 Cor. 13:4 it reads: "Love is patient and kind;" amongst other things that it is and is not; like it is not rude. It does not insist on its own way; but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, endures all things, and it Never ends. 1 Cor. 13:4-8.

His Commandment

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends". John 15:13. Jesus is showing us how to love with this one verse, but how do you lay down ones life for another? Obviously He is not saying to kill ourselves physically, so He must be referring to our spiritual side, or our emotional side, or our mental side. The say the Soul is your mind, will, and emotions. Is this what He wants us to lay down for others? For He says in Matt: 22:39-40. ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

So How?

How do you follow His commandment to love one another as He has loved us. Lay down your mind, will and emotions for one another. 1st Corinthians teaches us love does not insist on its own way; and Jesus says in Matt: 10:39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. jSo show God's love by putting aside your mind, will, and emotions for others. In this way you will be following the Commandments of Christ, by this you will be Abiding in the Love of Christ, and by this the Lord will be creating in you a clean heart and a right Spirit.