Lord, You Who Cleansed Me… Keep Me Clean

Friday 3-20-15 (Martinez, Argentina)

Scripture reading:    Josh 7-8     Ps 69     1 Cor 5

S.   Ps 69:5-6 “O God, you know how foolish I am; my sins cannot be hidden from you.  Don't let those who trust in you stumble because of me, O Sovereign LORD Almighty.  Don't let me cause them to be humiliated, O God of Israel.”  NLT

O.  David knew that as a popular warrior, king and worshipper of the Living Jehovah God, that if his hidden sins were to be made known, then others who trusted in His God would likely stumble. 

A.  Most of us have seen this happen in our life-time.  A high-profile Christian leader is taken in a despicable moral failure and as the devil sings his chants of victory, some weak souls crumble and crash. 

For many years I worked with youth, as a Youth Pastor, as a sectional Youth Leader, as a young pastor and as the National Youth Director for Argentina.  I helped organize and manage many youth camps and spiritual retreats.  Hundreds of young people were looking to me for inspiration.  I felt the weight of that responsibility upon my back.  If I was to be caught in secret sin, I could easily have been the destroying factor for many lives.  With this sobering factor held close to my heart, God saved me from a dozen disasters. 

Just a few days ago I was told of a friend’s uncle that had been a ruined alcoholic, but was wonderfully saved through the TV preaching of a famous evangelist.  But later when that evangelist was taken in sin… this wonderfully saved man when back to the bottle for refuge and died a drunkard. 

P.  Oh! Oh, my God!  As my tears flow like a river today… Don’t ever let me forget it.  There is much more at stake than my soul.  Hundreds, maybe thousands… including youth and innocent little children are looking at this, Your stumbling servant.  They want to see Jesus there.  Although I am filled with faults, they expect perfection.  It was You, Lord, that washed me in Your blood to make me clean.  Keep me close to You and never let me forget for a moment that my life is making a difference in those who are watching.  Keep my feet from stumbling.  Keep my eyes fixed upon You, My Savior and My Lord.  You, Who saved me from sin, can also keep me from sin.  My hope is in You.  Never let me become an excuse for some weak little child, some youth, or some brother or sister to stumble.  Help me to honor You all the way to the finish line in this race.  Amen.

Ralph