For a Fresh Start

by Charles R. Swindoll

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness;

According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity

And cleanse me from my sin.

---Psalm 51:1--2

Our Father, in a dry and barren world, where sin is so rampant and society is so filthy, we need a fountain of fresh, clean water full of blessing, truth, and strength. We need water that's never bitter . . . always sweet to the taste. Most of all, we need You. "Come Thou fount of every blessing."

In a world that has no song to sing and whose stories are often coarse and vulgar, we need a song. Teach us to sing Your songs of praise from our hearts, reengaging our minds to things that are pure and holy and good and right and just and lovely and of good report.

We are thirsty today, our Father, for the living water. May it do its work in cleansing us. May it wash our minds. May it cleanse our motives. May it scrub away the shameful secrets of our private world so that You can lead us onto right paths. Admittedly, we are prone to wander . . . prone to leave the God we love. And only Your cleansing, fresh water of the Spirit can make us clean deep within. Make us clean today, our Father. Dig deeply into our lives, and reveal truth. We pray You will find within us no rival, no resistance, no pride, no lies. And we now lay before You our very selves. We give ourselves to Your sacred work, to be set apart for Your best use, for Your greater glory. In the name of Jesus, our "fount of every blessing," we pray. Amen.