How shall a young man cleanse his way?

Posted : 12 Feb, 2013 05:28 AM

Psalm 119:9 How shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to Your word.





Why is the young man so especially called to cleanse his

way? Because God justly claims the first and the best. And is

it not a most affecting proof of the alienation of the heart from

God, that the youth of man-the bloom and freshness of his

mind-"his first love"-should naturally be devoted to the service

of sin? Ever since fallen man "begat a son in his own

likeness," "the imagination of man's heart has been evil from

his youth." For "who can bring a clean thing out of an

unclean?" And never does the heart utter the cry, "My Father!

You are the guide of my youth," until the misery of wandering

without a guide has been painfully felt. And even when Divine

grace has awakened the desire to return homewards, the

habit of wandering from God, and the long-cherished

pollutions of sin, seem to form an almost invincible barrier to

progress.

The fearful power of "youthful lusts," and the madness with

which the heart is hurried into forbidden indulgences, give

solemn weight to the inquiry, "How shall a young man cleanse

his way?" And the answer is ready. Let him "take heed thereto

according to Your word." Thus did Joseph, and Daniel with his

young companions, "cleanse their way" in the defilement of an

heathen atmosphere. It was probably the recollection of this

purifying efficacy of the word, that induced the venerable Beza

to mention in his will, among his chief matters of thankfulness

to God, the mercy of having been called to the knowledge of

the truth at the age of sixteen; thus, during a course of more

than seventy years' walk with God, "escaping the pollutions of

the world through lust." But the "way can only be cleansed" by

the cleansing of the heart; for how can a corrupt fountain

"send forth" other than "bitter waters?" "Out of the heart are the issues of life." Hence the urgent need to cry-"Create in me

a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."

How precious, therefore, is the word of God, as the means of

this cleansing operation! When our Savior had been setting

forth Himself as "the way, the truth, and the life," and

exhibiting the high privilege of union with Himself, "Now," He

adds, "you are clean, through the word which I have spoken

unto you." This is "the truth," which He pleaded with His

Father as the means of our sanctification. This sets out our

purifying hope. Here are the promises, by which we "cleanse

ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting

holiness in the fear of God." Thus is restored to man that

golden "crown"- the stamp of his Maker's holiness-which "fell

from his head when he sinned."

But oh! how does the recollection force itself upon us, that our

way lacks daily cleansing! so defiled are our actions, our

thoughts, our motives,-no more, our prayers and services. Let

us then "take heed according to the word of God"-specially

thankful for its heavenly light, which guides us to the

"Fountain, that is opened for sin and for uncleanness." Let us

also, under the same Divine light, seek for the daily

sanctifying influence of the Spirit of God.

"Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret

faults." "Cleanse the thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit."



by

Charles Bridges

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