Jump Start # 3712

Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

I was out and about driving the other day. I noticed a pickup with a message spread across the back of the tailgate. It read, “We clean trash cans.” The trash can is the final destination of things in our homes that are broken, smelly, no longer wanted, and what we generically call junk or trash. Trash goes into the trash can. About the only time I ever clean out my trash can is if it smells. I’ll spray it down with the hose and leave the lid open so the sun can dry it out. Is my trash can clean? It’s a trash can. Is it supposed to be clean? The only things that go in it are things we are getting rid of.

Somehow the guy driving the pickup thought of a business niche that would be profitable. I definitely believe he probably has a corner on that market. There won’t be a lot of competitors bidding for the cleaning of your trash cans. I wonder if the guy also does dumpsters? I can’t imagine what prompted him to start such a business. Maybe his wife told him to clean their trash can and a neighbor asked him if he would do his? Nor, can I imagine what stinky and filthy trash cans he goes through in a day.

Trash cans ought to be somewhat dirty because it’s where we put our trash. Our verse today, written by David, after his heart had gotten dirty with lust, shame, coverup and multiple sins, shows his desire to have a clean heart.

Our hearts are not trash cans. Filth and dirt do not belong in our hearts.

There are some lessons for us:

First, we cannot pay someone to clean our hearts. We got our hearts messy and it’s up to us to do what we should to clean them up. Sometimes, parents forget this. They want the church to straighten up their child. They want someone else to be the tough guy and lay down the law to them. The responsibility lies with the parent. No one can clean up a trashy heart for you.

Second, our verse is a plea and a prayer. David recognized that on his own, he could not clean the stains off of his heart. He needed God. He needed God’s mercy and God’s grace. That would bring forgiveness. But there is more. David needed God’s guidance to keep his heart from getting dirty again.

That’s the difference between our hearts and a trash can. You can pay someone to clean your trash can, but you’ll continue to put more trash back into that can. This will just create another need to clean it out another time. Trash cans are not cleaned and remain clean. They are holders of trash. As long as we put trash in them, they will be dirty. The same is true of our hearts. Our souls can be forgiven by God, but as long as we continue to fill our hearts with more garbage and trash, our hearts will continue to be unclean.

Once we have received the forgiveness of God, we need to take the steps to stop putting more trash back into our hearts. Sunday worship isn’t a divine car wash that automatically cleanses the soul each week. Get that soul cleaned and go back out into the filth of the world and come back next week for another spiritual bath. That’s abusing God’s grace and that shows no gratitude nor growth towards a changed life.

Third, we can make a real mess of our hearts and souls. Anger, bitterness, worldliness and lust can stain our thinking and our souls so deeply that we get used to those things. They no longer bother us. I knew a guy years ago who had railroad tracks very close to his backyard. I was there one day when a trail roared by. The whole house shook. We couldn’t hear each other. It was so loud. After it passed by, I asked him how can you stand that noise. He was so accustomed to it that he hardly noticed. Boy, I did. I think my teeth were rattling as the train went by. Sin can do the same to us. Heard curse words so much that we don’t even notice anymore. Dwelled in negativity and the land of complaints so long, joy seems out of place and odd.

You can go to Heaven with a dirty trash can. Don’t think you’ll make it with a dirty heart. Most don’t expect their trash can to be clean. We ought to expect clean hearts, especially among the people of God.

Roger

Jump Start # 3710

Psalms 19:1 “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.”

One of the fascinating connections between Scripture and nature is their revelation of God. The beginning of Romans state, “…His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made.” Earlier in Psalms we find, “…who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens” (8:1b). Our verse states that the heavens are declaring the work of God’s hands. There are no words. Their speech is not heard. But the eye sees what God has done.

In a recent sermon I explained the enormous vastness of the solar system. The numbers are so large that we can’t appreciate them. For instance, we live in the Milky Way galaxy. Earth to the farthest planet, Neptune, is 2.69 billion miles. It is pretty well understood that there are between 100 billion and 400 billion stars in just the Milky Way.

Because of the Hubble telescope focusing deeper into space, astronomers and Astro physicists have estimated that there are at least 200 billion galaxies, each containing 100 million to over a billion stars. Try multiplying 200 billion with one billion. One scientist tried to explain it this way. Imagine a Cheerio represents one galaxy. We know each galaxy is unique in size and shape. Two hundred billion Cheerios would fill 4,000 standard size in-ground swimming pools. So many galaxies filled with so many stars.

What does the expanse declare? What is it telling us about God?

First, our God is amazing and BIG. We are now seeing things in deep space that no one has ever seen. Your great grandfather never saw what we see. Peter never realized how many stars are up in the sky. And in Psalms 147: 4, we find that God numbers and gives names to all the stars. There are more stars than there are words in the English language.

With all of this we wonder why. Why did God make the universe so large? Why is it that just now we are seeing things through telescopes in space that no one has ever known or seen before? It makes us realize that creation is a reflection of God. All artists have a certain style. You can distinguish a Van Gogh painting from a Picasso. Their works are an extension of their personalities and talents. So is creation a reflection of God.

There is no limit to God. I do not believe mankind will ever reach the end of creation. Which tells us, there are things yet to be discovered. There are things in future generations that we will never know about. And, all of this fits together, works together and is tied together by God.

Second, Psalms eight asks, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him?” It is very easy to feel small and insignificant when one looks at this massive universe. Distances are measured in light-years. The twinkling stars that we see up in the night sky, is light from years ago. It took that long to reach earth.

How easy it is think that “I am a nobody.” But, in this massive creation, you are the one who is made in the image of God. Not the galaxies. Not the stars. You. And, it is you that Jesus came and died for. He didn’t die to save planet earth. He didn’t die to save the moon or the stars. He died for you. And, as massive as this creation is, it is your words that the Lord hears in prayer. It is your hairs that He has numbered. It is your faith that He recognizes.

God didn’t have to all of this. And, it’s not just outer space that we see this. Consider the sounds we hear. Consider the smells. Consider the colors. Did you know that there are 10 million colors. Go into a paint store and ask for “blue.” You’ll be overwhelmed at the thousands of blue options. There are over 11,000 species of butterflies. There are over 23,000 different kinds of beetles. Why? Why not just 64 colors, like in a box of crayons? Why not 4 types of butterflies? Why not just a couple of beetles?

Complex—just like our God. Detailed—just like our God. Beautiful– just like our God.

Third, the expanse declares that there is a divine order to creation. Our earth spins at about 1,000 MPH and tilts at 23 degrees. It is 93 million miles from the sun. A deviation of any of those elements and life would be impossible here. Just happened? Chance? No way! Planned. Calculated. Exact.

And, it’s the same that God has for us. A planned, calculated and exact way to live. His way. And, when we do that, we find the blessings of fellowship and forgiveness. As you think about all the things in the solar system, can you imagine what Heaven will be like?

The expanse is declaring…are you seeing it?

Roger