What The Heart Needs

It's amazing how much debris gathers on the floor between sweepings

. I admit to not sweeping

enough, and I can usually tell it's been too long by what's in the dustpan! The Believer's heart needs a good continuous sweepin'.  The dirt from my floor ain't nothing compared to that which collects in my heart. It doesn't take much to know when it's past-due for cleaning either: my talk and walk don't match

, my attitude and focus are "off." Mark, Chapter 7 gives quite a list of tell-tale signs of a neglected heart: envy, slander, deceit, arrogance, foolishness ... oh, the list grows worse!  In Psalm 51, David penned some of the best steps for a good sweepin' of the heart: "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin." (V.2) and "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." (V.10)  My Pastor reminds us how we need to keep a "short list" of sins – stay confessed up!  A short list represents a frequent sweepin'.  It's what the heart needs!