This Does Not Look Good

Part of getting ready for the next semester is cleaning up my computer. For the past two years, I have accumulated different software for spyware, firewall, and antivirus stuff, most of them having expired. Therefore, yesterday, I bought the Norton SystemWorks for the purpose of streamlining a reliable protection and security for my laptop. After having updated everything, the computer is running faster and better than ever. However, my history folders of all my research (apart from my favorites folders) have all been erased! I really enjoyed typing the first two letters and getting where I wanted . . . The picture above is one I took this morning before cleaning up the system. This looks pretty bad, doesn't it!!! 3725 items found to clean up?! 325 errors?! Ouch. Usually, my most profound thoughts in the day come in the shower, and this morning I was thinking about my depravity. After spending several hours trying to clean up the errors, glitches, and viruses on my computer, I thought about how little time I spend focusing on the mortification of indwelling sin and pursuing holiness. Have I spent several hours a day cleaning up the filth churning up in this wicked idol machine of my heart? If a computer machine can produce so many errors, surely my soul would be endangered by so many more! And at what is at stake is not the performance of a laptop computer, rather it is my very soul and body which has been bought at a very high price. Such a temple needs a daily cleansing if the Holy Spirit is pleased to dwell. Anyway. You probably didn't need to hear this random commentary on my life, but it just reminds me of my absolute need of God's sanctifying graces in all aspects of my life. For the chief of sinners there is grace abounding - grace which I am most unworthy of. A good meditation would be to consider the pleas for cleansings, purging, washing, blotting out in Psalm 51. I have included a portion of it below. When you life looks like the caption above as mine has, this is a good place to begin: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

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

Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.