Essay I wrote for school last year

           As God’s children it is very important that we be effective witnesses for Christ. We our His servants, His workers. We should be good examples on others who observe our actions so they will be drawn to the Lord through us.  Of course, we need to have a contrite heart with God before we can be effective.

          Even though we DO work for terrestrial employers, we are actually working for the Lord as well. Because of this fact, we are to be consistent in exemplifying Christ’s character and standards, which will, without a shadow of a doubt, be better than any standard that an earthly employer may have. We are to build our own personal standards on God’s most perfect standards. When and if we pass the Lord’s righteous expectations, we will gain an employer’s expectations also.

           God’s head concern for our complete thoroughness is the inward, holy cleansing of our hearts. How is our hearts? Is it a heart that God would pleased with or a heart that is filled with rebellion, lust, and sin? “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from ALL filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the discomposure of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).

           As David prayed, “Wash me completely and thoroughly from mine own iniquity, and extremely cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:2), that word that he used, “multiply,” appears seventy-four different times in the Bible. David was sincerely asking the Lord to cleanse him repeatedly so that there would be absolutely no sin left in him. However, thoroughness cannot happen with a quick, little prayer that we only say once and don’t really mean, but it can happen by a severe cleaning and thorough washing that removes every, single bit of “dirt” or uncleanness.

           Do we have a repentant heart like David? He was a “man after God’s own heart!” We need to ask God to cleanse us so He can work in us and change us to be a person after His own heart too. The Lord wants us to take this step and grow in Him. He desires with all His heart to have a good relationship with us. Do we desire to have a good relationship with Him?