March 4

Wash and be clean.—2 KINDS v. 13

AM I willing to be anything, to do anything, to submit to anything, to part with anything, so that my sins may be forgiven, and I may be accepted of God, and be filled with his Spirit? Am I willing to take Christ on his own terms, to be forgiven only through his merits, and cleansed through his truth, by the influence of his Holy Spirit? Do I come to him, "just as I am, without one plea, but that his blood was shed for me," and that he bids me come to him? And thus do I find rest and peace?

As Naaman required no previous cleansing, but had only to obey the simple injunction, "Wash and be clean," so we have only to come to Christ, just as we are, in all our sinfulness, and through his atoning blood we may be cleansed from all our sins, and made heirs of everlasting life.

If it be true for me, that "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin," then, by the grace of God, I will henceforth live as a man should live who has been washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.—HEDLEY VICARS.

Nothing in my hand I bring;

Simply to thy cross I cling;

Naked, come to thee for dress,

Helpless, look to thee for grace;

Vile, I to the fountain fly,

Wash me, Saviour, or I die.

—TOPLADY.