Psalm 51:10   Createin me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (NIV)

 

Have you ever seen the oldFrench film called ‘The Red Balloon’? It was made in Paris a year before I wasborn and tells the tale of a young boy who is befriended by a red balloon. Theballoon and the boy become inseparable, and it follows him all over the streetsof Paris. The film only lasts about 35 minutes, and it has been my favoritemovie ever since I first saw it as a young lad.

 

The film depicts bothhappiness and sadness in simple ways and even when a tragedy occurs, there is awonderful sequence of hope being renewed at the end of the movie. As I writethis devotion, I can still see the beautiful conclusion in my mind’s eye. Iwon’t give it away – you’ll have to watch the movie yourself and be pleasantlycaptivated by it.

 

Sometimes I think that ourindividual lives are movies that only God can see. He knows all of the thingsthat we have done, the moments that have impacted us deeply, the joys we haveexperienced and the sadnesses that we still carry. There is nothing hidden fromGod, so He could be justified in separating Himself from us after death, butinstead He wants to give us a beautiful conclusion where we become reunited andrestored to Him forever. That’s why King David, in today’s highlighted verse,prayed to God to clean his heart and renew his spirit: he wanted that beautifulconclusion which only God’s grace and forgiveness could bring.

 

Perhaps you feel as thoughyou’ve done something which will separate you from God. Maybe you have a deepregret about a deed that has caused some distance between you and God. If so,then please know this – God can and will forgive you, just by asking Him to doso, even now as you read this. As the apostle Paul once wrote long ago: ‘ForI am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neitherthe present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth,nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love ofGod that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’ – Romans 8:38-39.

 

Point to ponder: Am Iwilling to hand over my regrets to the Lord and be cleansed with God’s Love?

 

Prayer: Lord God, createclean hearts within us and renew our spirits this day. In Jesus’ Name, we pray.Amen.

 

PS: If you’ve neverseen it, you can freely view the movie online at this link: The Red Balloon.

 

 

John Stuart is a ScottishPresbyterian pastor, now living in Knoxville, TN.