“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
Psalm 51:7 KJV
The day warmed just enough to take the dogs for a walk in the snow. The sun shone brightly, melting the snow and ice into a muddy mess in the driveway, right where my husband David had worked so hard to keep it clear after each snowfall.
As I walked through the mud, my boots became completely covered. With every step, mud splashed in every direction. Wanting to clean them off, I stepped out of the tire tracks and into the fresh snow. With each step, the snow wiped the mud away. My boots grew cleaner, while the snow behind me was stained with the dirt I carried.
As I watched the mud disappear from my tracks, Psalm 51:7 came to mind: “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” I stood there pondering that truth when I felt the Holy Spirit whisper to my heart:
“God wants you to come to Him just as you are, covered in sin like mud on your boots.”
Walking with God is much like walking through deep snow. You begin dirty, weighed down by where you’ve been. And with every step forward, the cleansing happens—not all at once, but faithfully. The snow is deep, so the steps are high. The path is hard. Your muscles ache. You grow tired and wonder if it’s worth continuing.
But if you keep walking—if you stay in God’s Word and refuse to give up—each step becomes a little easier. Over time, the soles of your boots grow clean. The dirt no longer clings. Eventually, there is no trace left of the muddy path behind you.
Jesus makes us new. Our past is wiped clean.
So put one foot in front of the other. Stay on the straight and narrow path. Keep walking, even when it’s hard. Keep reading God’s Word. You will never be thirsty, because your path leads to Living Water.
“…but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
John 4:14 NIV
Ask yourself…
- What “mud” might you be carrying into God’s presence right now that He is inviting you to surrender?
- Are you discouraged by how hard the walk feels, even though God is still at work in you?
- In what ways has God already been cleaning your path, step by step, even if you didn’t notice at first?
- What would it look like for you to keep walking faithfully this week, trusting the cleansing process?
Dear Lord, thank You for meeting me right where I am—muddy boots and all. Thank You that I don’t have to clean myself before coming to You. Wash me, Lord. Clean my heart, my mind, and my path. When the walk feels hard and my steps feel heavy, give me strength to keep going. Help me trust that with every step in Your Word, You are making me new. Lead me on the straight and narrow path, and satisfy my soul with Your Living Water. In Jesus’ name, Amen.