Psalm 51 v 10.
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me
God can bring good out of our failures, and even out of our sins. J. Stuart Holden tells of an old Scottish mansion close to where he had his summer house. The walls of one room were covered by sketches made by distinguished artists. The practice began after a jug of soda water, spilled accidentally on a freshly decorated wall, leaving an unsightly stain. At the time, a noted artist, Lord Landseer, was a guest in the house. One day when the family went to the moors, he stayed behind. With a few masterful strokes of a piece of charcoal, the ugly spot became the outline of a beautiful waterfall, bordered by trees and wildlife. The artist turned a disfigured wall into one of his best depictions of Highland life.
When we confess our sins to God, He begins a new work in our hearts. He does more than the artist did with the stain on the wall. God removes the blot of sin entirely and cleanses us.
I like to watch “Money for Nothing” on TV in the afternoons, where items are rescued from being tossed into the skip and are given to a crafter to restore or transform them into new items. Some of the transformations are extreme and not always to my taste but some of them are turned into beautiful pieces.
God is our “Crafter” turning us into what He wants us to become. Let’s thank God for forgiveness and spread His love to others.