As the Herman family prepared to lave for the beach last Friday I put all our trash in the 50 gallon trash can outside.  It had all week to simmer and grow stagnant.  Needless to say when I opened it up yesterday it about knocked me down.  The stench was awful.  Not to mention the ants crawling everywhere.  So I did the good husband thing this morning.  Before I left to work out I took the garbage to the recycle center. 

During my devotional time early this morning I had read Psalm 51.  Here is a portion of this powerful Psalm.

Psalm 51:1-10
Have mercy on me, O God,according to your unfailing love;according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. [2] Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. [3] For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me. [4] Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. [5] Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me. [6] Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. [7] Cleanse 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] Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. [10] Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

As I was dumping out the trash a powerful thought crossed my mind.  My heart is just like last weeks old trash.  I put so much of the world into my life and the only one who can give me a pure heart and a steadfast spirit is Jesus Christ.  The stink and filth can be washed clean because of the blood of Jesus. 

My prayer this morning was that God would grant me a clean and pure heart.  That he would never hide his face from me.  As I threw out the garbage and cleaned my trash can to make it look like new, Christ can do the same for you.

Take time to examine your heart, has it been growing stagnant?  Let Jesus take out the trash!