S(Jeremiah 4:14) O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil, that you may be saved. How long shall your wicked thoughts lodge within you?
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God would not command us to wash our hearts if He didn't also give us the capacity to do wash them. He identified our deliberate hosting of wicked thoughts as a core contaminant of our souls. However, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
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Bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice can--for a short time--be highly entertaining and comforting guests in our minds. They quickly, however, prove to be liars, thieves, and murderers. I know this is true (John 8:44; 10:10; Matthew 5:21-30). So the Holy Spirit counsels us to immediately evict these "houseguests" from our hearts and instead to host kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness (Ephesians 5:31,32).
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Wonderful Counselor, Savior, this body You've give me, a palace-like temple for Your Spirit to dwell in, is not worth trashing with such cruel and domineering guests as wrath and malice. Forgive me for entertaining them and allowing them to pollute Your temple. I eagerly invite Your Holy Spirit to rework my entire soul, just as You also forgave me and invited me to Your Heavenly home.
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