Read: 1 John 1:5-10
The blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (v. 7)
Before I was married, I lived in a small apartment in Hoboken, New Jersey. One day, while looking at the tiles in my shower, I noticed that some mildew had built up and they needed cleaning. I got a bucket, filled it with water and soap, and scrubbed the tiles as hard as I could. Nothing happened. I then remembered that my mother used a tile cleaner that she bought from the supermarket to clean our bathroom. I went to the store, bought it, sprayed it on, and the mildew rinsed right off. I realized then that, where all of my efforts to scrub the tiles did nothing, there is something in tile cleaner especially designed to get rid of mildew.
King David committed grave and terrible sins. He lusted after a married woman, essentially forced her to sleep with him, impregnated her, plotted to have her husband killed, and then covered it up. Not a good résumé for a king. However, what saved David was his repentant spirit. Psalm 51 reveals the heart of someone who recognized his own sinfulness and his need for forgiveness.
All of our human efforts cannot erase the stain of our sins. Every generation is, increasingly, a testament to the depravity of humanity and our need for redemption. However, where our efforts fail, we can take hope that there’s something in the blood of Jesus especially designed to cleanse our sins. —Duane T. Loynes Sr.
As you pray, thank God for the forgiveness and hope we have in Christ.
About the Author
Dr. Duane T. Loynes Sr. is a professor of Urban Studies and Africana Studies at Rhodes College. He resides in Memphis, Tennessee, with his wife Ericka and their son Duane Jr., and is an active member of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
