Your petition has been laid before the throne of grace and we join our hearts with yours in carrying it to the Lord Jesus Christ.
You have asked first for forgiveness and for a clean heart and body, and this is the right and necessary beginning. Hear the word of the Lord, for there is forgiveness with God that you may be feared. It is a divine forgiveness, I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake. It cannot be pleaded that your sins are too great to be pardoned, for the amount of guilt is put entirely out of consideration, seeing that God forgives not on account of the sinner but for His own sake. This blessed and comprehensive sentence sets free from every jot and taint and stain of guilt, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. It contains no conditions but this, that you repent and believe on Him whom God has sent, for this is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent. Do as Luther did when his heart was dark, and say, I believe in the forgiveness of sins, and believe in the forgiveness of sins for yourself. If by faith you accept the matchless Atonement which covers all your guilt, then you are even now among the blessed.
And with forgiveness comes cleansing. You cry, make my heart and body clean, and this the Lord has promised to do Himself. I will sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean. When the Son removes guilt, the Spirit removes guile. There is a double cleansing in the fountain opened in the side of Christ, the blood to atone for guilt and the water to wash away the tendency toward future sin. It is not a partial cleansing, for if it left but one sin still upon us it would have no power to save. But when applied by the Holy Spirit and received by faith it makes a total and complete cleansing from all past guilt, and then it works a great change of conduct, so that He is not content to make the outside clean only, but cries for inward cleansing and for renewal in the hidden fountains of thought and action. Trust Him that hung upon the tree to redeem His people and to sanctify you wholly, and He will purify you till every spot is gone, for it is His work to save His people from their sins.
You have asked also that Jesus would be with you and comfort you and richly supply all your needs and help you in all your difficult work. The Lord is near to them that call upon Him, and He has bid us to pray without ceasing, for you want a blessing on all the work you are doing. Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. It is vain to rise up early and sit up late and eat the bread of carefulness without God, for without Him you cannot prosper. Whether it be common work or business or service for God, pray therefore as long as you work, and follow the work which your Father has given you to do. He that finished transgression and made an end of sin and brought in everlasting righteousness is able to make reconciliation for iniquity and to supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. We do not promise that in this present life you shall be without any illness every moment, for the body still waits for its final redemption, but we do know that He is your comfort in every trial and your strength in every duty, and that every agency is in full work when prayer goes up, and a great blessing may be expected upon great efforts when they are bathed in prayer.
Let us pray together for you.
O Lord Jesus Christ, be Thou with this soul and comfort with Thy presence. Thou who hast finished transgression and made an end of sins, speak that word of power, Thy sins are forgiven thee, and let the conscience know the completeness of Thy pardon. Sprinkle clean water upon this heart and make it clean within, and wash the life without, that guilt and guile may both be taken away. Supply all need according to Thy riches, give wisdom and strength for every difficult task, and let Thy blessing rest upon all lawful work, that it may be done faithfully and well in Thy sight. In weakness be Thou health and in trouble be Thou comfort, and keep this one looking unto Thee who art the only way of salvation, till Thou shalt bring everlasting righteousness to its full perfection. In Thy name we ask it, Amen.
